


Little Miracles

by Umachica



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Angel Waverly Earp, Body Dismorphia, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff and Smut, I'll tag other characters as they come into play, Magic/Supernatural Shenanigans, Post Season 3, Pregnant Nicole Haught, Purgatory Weirdness, Some angst, Unplanned Pregnancy, Waverly has a penis, phantom limb syndrome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2020-09-30 18:09:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20451371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Umachica/pseuds/Umachica
Summary: Waverly is back from the Garden and adjusting to life back in Purgatory, but her angelic lineage isn't done causing problems. A night with Nicole spins them both onto a path they never could have expected, and the consequences will ripple through the whole family.





	1. Morning Glory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters, of course, just borrowing.  
I thought it would be neat to do a fic with Nicole being the one pregnant and how that might affect her life as a sheriff  
Also thought I'd double down on Angel Magic(tm) to make it happen. I could have done things another way, but I feel Nicole is less likely to choose to carry a child, and supernatural surprise pregnancy sounded fun. 
> 
> I've marked this as Mature for now, but I may go back and fill in the Fade-to-Black scenes in the future! 
> 
> Thank you BaggerHeda for giving me tips!

Waverly still felt weird sleeping on her back.  
  


She didn't have the wings anymore, or at least, they weren't... what? Visible? Tangible? Physical? She still wasn't sure what term really applied. They were still there. She knew it with a certainty that never really quite left her. It was definitely ephemeral, sort of like the emotion one gets from a comforting hand on their shoulder, but without the weight of a touch.  
  


This was, in it's own way, disconcerting. It made her wiggle her shoulders and flex the muscles in her back, reaching for a sensation that just wasn't there. When she slept on her back, she felt the strange absence all the more. It was like some weird phantom limb phenomenon.  
  


Hence the reason she was currently lying on her stomach in bed, arms curled around her pillow and staring at the block font digits of the clock on the dresser nearby.  
  


4:43  
  


She'd been awake for something like two hours. She sighed softly, turning her head to look away from the clock and to something much more pleasant.  
  


Nicole, turned toward her with brows faintly knitted together, worried even in sleep. The fingers of one hand lightly resting along Waverly's arm in unconscious need for the assurance that Waverly was really still there, still home and not in the Garden.

It had been a week since she'd come home. The whole ordeal still burned in her mind, the memory raw at the edges and too sensitive to examine too closely. She remembered flashes of things. Of Doc's reassurances amidst creaking, groaning, growling bark and vines. Warm, brilliant lights and something like a whisper or a soft chorus. A booming voice that shook her very heart with every syllable. A fight. An argument. A trial for Doc's soul. Wynonna's hoarse screaming. The flash of a brilliant sword.  
Then Nicole's arms. Her closeness and scent wrapping about her. Concerned chatter, apologies, questions, so many questions. But all that had mattered was the Nicole had her. She knew because Nicole said so, kept saying so, whispering it over and over.  
  
  


She shook off the memories for later. Opting instead to lean forward and kiss the knuckles of Nicole's hand softly, carefully moving her arm until she could wind their fingers together, taking comfort from the contact as she watched her girlfriend doze.

Not girlfriend, she corrected herself with a soft glow blossoming in her heart. She let her touch reach to the band on Nicole's ring finger. Fiancée. She smiled as she remembered Nicole saying they'd talk about the ring later, but of course, of course it was yes.

Waverly sighed again, lighter and more content this time.  
  
  


“mmyou shouldbe sleep” Nicole's voiced slurred throatily from barely parting lips. A tiny smile tugged at Waverly's expression in response to the half conscious scolding, a touch of a crinkle to her eyes. She kissed Nicole's fingers again.  
  


“I should, hmm?”  
  


Nicole curled in closer to her, blindly nuzzling their foreheads together. “Mhmm. Too early.”  
  


A moment passed before the redhead slid one eye half open to glance at her lover. “you okay?”  
  


Waverly shrugged a touch and gestured towards her back with her head. “Just uncomfortable again. Sorry I woke you up.”  
  


“No. S'okay.” Nicole mumbled back through a sigh. She slipped her hand from Waverly's grasp and up to her back, stroking gently along her shoulder blades. A soft and happy breath of a sound escaped Waverly's lips, and she leaned into the touch. Nicole always seemed to ground her like that. Her touch distracting the brunette's mind away from the phantom wings. Soothing the absence.

  
“Y'just need bonus blanket.”Nicole shifted under the sheets, rolling forward and easing her form atop her fiance's with a smooth motion. Lately Waverly seemed to really like that. Feeling Nicole's weight on hers. Nicole enjoyed it too. It felt protective and warm.

  
“So sweet,” Waverly mumbled, feeling the warmth in her heart swell as Nicole brushed her hair to the side and slowly placed soft kisses along the back of her neck, down to the slope of her shoulders.  
She indulged for a moment in the almost reverent way Nicole kissed her, lazily caught between dozing off in face of the soothing comfort and the faint strands of heat beginning to ghost through her body. It wouldn't take much to turn things one way or the other, but for now she enjoyed being at the crossroads. Just being with Nicole. 

  
“I love you, you know.” Waverly murmured, the words feeling a little awkward still, but so Right now that she'd said them before. She'd said it a few times since she'd been back, but Nicole reacted everytime with the same genuine, warm, proud smile, and this time was no different. Waverly could feel the grin of Nicole's lips against her skin and in the sheriff's near purr of a voice.

  
“Oh I love you too, sweetheart,” came the response, with an accompanying kiss just under and behind Waverly's ear. “So much.”   
  
  
Just like that, the strange non-touch of her phantom wings faded. Just like that, Nicole had her well and truly distracted, and things began to click back into place again. Under Nicole’s touch, the ephemeral limbs didn’t matter. Nicole’s presence, her weight, her sweet vanilla smell, all of it served to ground her, holding her firmly back in the here and now. She welcomed it with relief, pushing back against the warm body above her. 

Nicole’s hands smoothed over her back, as if brushing the irritation of the phantom wings aside for good measure, before trailing lower, tugging at her waist in gentle request. She complied happily, and lifted up enough for Nicole’s fingers to dance under her top, over her abs, moving up until Nicole was palming her breast. She groaned softly. Silken kisses moved south, dotting along the neckline of Waverly’s top while skilled fingers teased her nipple to attention, and the faint strands of heat bloomed with a sharp intake of breath. 

  
“Good?” Nicole chuckled. 

  
“Good,” Waverly repeated. She glanced over her shoulder at her love and grinned a little, “Too many clothes though.” 

  
“Oh, well,” Nicole moved with mischief in her voice as her hands began bunching up the fabric of Waverly’s top, “That’s easy to fix, yeah?”   
  
  
The top came off easily, and Nicole’s hands returned to cup the exposed breasts, just feeling the weight of them. Of Waverly’s tangibility. Waverly turned her head, hoping to invite soft lips to her own,but Nicole moved to suck gently on her earlobe first, pulling the tiniest whimper from her lungs.  Her pyjama pants were removed next, Nicole feeling over every inch of her skin like she was worshiping it. Her hands caressed along Waverly’s hips, over her thighs and back up. Waverly tried to turn around, to press herself against the taller woman, but found herself held firmly in place. 

  
“Nicole… I need to touch you, too.” Waverly murmured pleadingly.  
  


“Later. I’m not ready to let you go just yet.” 

  
There was something in Nicole’s voice that caught Waverly’s attention. Just the slightest tensing in her breath. ‘She needs this too,’ Waverly realised. ‘She needs me like this’. 

  
“Okay… but I’m next alright?”   
  
  
Nicole chuckled “Absolutely.” 

  
“However I want.”   
  


Long fingers dipped between Waverly’s thighs, caressing the satin skin there “Of course” 

  
Waverly shivered, and she shifted her knees further apart, Nicole’s fingers slid to cup Waverly’s jawbone, gently guiding her to look into rich, adoring brown eyes before pulling her into an impassioned, if somewhat awkward kiss that lingered until they both had to come up for air. After a breath Nicole went right back to it, moving her kisses along Waverly’s jawline, below her ear, down the chords of her neck where she nipped and sucked, drawing a purple bloom to the surface.  
  
  
“Oh Nicole….” 

  
The redhead's hands returned to drift along sensitive skin. Over Waverly's shoulders. Down her spine.  
  
"Uhhnn.. Nic"  
  
Fingers curled over the edge of her panties and pulled the fabric down. Just enough to slide by. To slip along slick and heated flesh.   
  
“Nicole…”    
  
“Shhh. I've got you, Waves.”    
  
\----------------------------  
\------  
\------  
\-----------------------------

Nicole's head hit the pillow, and she gasped trying to catch her breath “Jesus, Waves...fuck.”

  
Waverly collapsed onto her fiance's chest, nuzzling up under the red head's chin.“God that felt... it was like I actually...”

  
“Yeah.”

  
The half-angel's voice lit up with impish pleasure “Thanks for letting me try the harness, love.”

  
“Anytime.” Nicole chuckled and panted, her fingers brushing through her own hair as she tried to catch her breath. She shivered pleasurably, feeling her walls pulse around the toy again. “God, that feels magical Waverly. Keep- keep flexing like that.”

  
“Flexing?”

  
“That little twitch. Yep, right there. Like that.”

  
Waverly leaned back a little to meet her lover's eyes, frowning a bit with a half grin “Nicole, that's all you, baby. I'm not doing anything. Feels good though”

  
Nicole's breath paused as she stilled for a moment. “What?”

  
She focused, trying hard not to move at all. Then she frowned, and propped herself up on her elbows “That's not me either”

  
They caught each other's confused gazes for a moment, then moved as one to asses the situation. As Waverly moved back, the toy moved with her, pulling out easily. They both felt their stomachs drop at the sight.

The harness was a little loose around the toy, framing it now instead of supporting. Because it didn't need support anymore. It was no longer the brilliant smooth purple silicone it had been. It tan and fleshy instead. Waverly's tan. Two sets of eyes watched as it's length softened and recoiled slightly back toward Waverly's hips, where it now connected seamlessly.

Nicole risked a glance at herself. She stared blankly at the whitish fluid seeping from her core. Her brain fumbled, trying to put the unlikely scenario together and failing repeatedly.

  
Waverly stared down at her groin, reaching a shaking hand down to touch the top of the harness first, and then lower. She yanked her hand back when she felt fingertips contact skin. Her skin. Her flesh. It couldn't be. It just.. it couldn't. Could it?

  
_It's Purgatory_, part of her brain whispered quietly. _You're a little more than human._

She thought of her powers. Of things she'd done before. Little miracles.

She gulped.

  
Nicole licked dry lips nervously.

  
Their gazes met.  
  


Waverly tried to talk, her mouth moving without making sound at first. At length she shook her head, and with a nervous half-smile and a shrug, resorted to the age old Earp coping tactic. Comedy.   
  
  
“Um... happen to be on the pill?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Morning Glory:   
A name belonging to a family containing over 1,000 species of flower. They bloom in at certain times of the day, typically for as little as a day before dying. Morning Glories symbolize new beginnings, love, affection, and mortality. In chinese mythology they represent anniversaries or reunion of lovers. 
> 
> (Disclaimer: Please don't seek out blackthorn or any of the plants listed in this fic as a form of modern medicine for ANY situation.)


	2. Blackthorn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fallout begins. Yep, it's not just fluff and comedy, there's gonna be an angst ride too
> 
> "She loved Waverly with all of her being. She knew Waverly was it for her almost the minute she laid eyes on the petite brunette in Shorty's. That wasn't a problem. Nor was the prospect of starting a family with the youngest Earp. Nicole had actually daydreamed about such things before. Would they adopt? IVF? Maybe settle into the role of aunts for Alice once she was back safely (a thought that also frequented Nicole's mind). 
> 
> But this wasn't the same. She knew Waverly wasn't to blame for it, not really"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this went deeper than intended (ha!), and it's turned into smut/fluff/angst/comfort? Don't worry, I promise a happy ending.
> 
> I really appreciate all the thoughts and comments and kudos and encourage as much more as you'd like to send me. You guys make me feel good about writing again!

Step step step, turn, repeat.  
  


Nicole paced back and forth in the tense space of Waverly's room, half dressed and silent with her hands occasionally running through her hair. On the bed beside her, Waverly sat crosslegged with a blanket wrapped tightly around her waist to shield them both from the source of their mutual discomfort resting between her legs.  
  
She watched Nicole's movements warily, guiltily, like a scolded puppy. Nicole hadn't said a word since their discovery, but she had visited the restroom multiple times and showered as well. Waverly couldn't blame her, of course, but...  
  
“Nicole?” Waverly reached out with her voice. Nothing. She could tell the police officer's thoughts were running a mile a minute and it made her squirm uncomfortably in her seat with ideas of what those thoughts might be.  
  
“Nicole,” she tried again, “please say something.”  
  
The tall red head stopped mid turn, staring at Waverly like she just remembered she was there. After a brief hesitation, she hurried forward to sit beside the brunette, one leg folded under her on the mattress, the other dangling off. She opened her mouth to speak, but paused when her eyes caught Waverly's, the words seeming to die in her throat. She looked away and took in a deep breath. Let it out again.  
  
“Waves,” she began, staring at her own hands, “I-”  


_I'm scared. I didn't want this like this. I can't do this. I didn't ask for this._  
  
  
Nicole finally settled on asking “Do you think you can find a way to... reverse things? On your own I mean. With your powers.” She looked back into Waverly's eyes, her own expression full of concern as she tucked her own panic and worry into her back pocket for now. “Do you want me to call the team?”  
  
A bright red blush sprang up across Waverly's face and neck and her eyes flew open wide “N-no!” she blurted out. “God, I can't... I don't want them to see...” She gestured vaguely down between her legs, “I couldn't.”  
  
“Okay,” Nicole nodded, “okay. But if you can't, you know we'll have to get them involved, right?”  
  
“Yeah...”  


Silence stretched before them again.  


  
“Nicole?” 

  
“Yeah?”

  
“Are you okay?”  
  
Nicole stared at the ceiling for a minute and breathed a deep sigh. “I... This wasn't exactly a place I thought we'd end up, Waves.”  
  
The feeling was mutual. Waverly's head was still spinning and trying to catch up with everything. Covering her new... addition... helped, but she could still feel it there. It felt foreign, alien, and dangerous. It felt like trickery and deceit, even though she hadn't intended anything of the sort. Part of her wanted to express that, desperately needed Nicole to understand. But it all sounded like excuses when she went over them. She tucked her lower lip into her mouth. “I mean... maybe it won't, y'know, take?”  
  
The minute she felt Nicole tense up beside her, she knew she'd said the wrong thing.  
  
“I've gotta go.” Nicole rose to her feet and began throwing on the rest of her outfit. Waverly watched, panic rising in her chest. She started to get up, clutching the blanket close as she did “Nicole, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to-”

“Hey,” Nicole paused for a second to put a hand on Waverly's cheek, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. Her eyes were wide, intense, and her eyebrows raised and knitted with worry “I love you, okay? I just... I gotta go. Just for a little bit.”

Waverly nodded again, then watched silently as Nicole gathered her things and disappeared down the hallway. 

She was suddenly left alone with her thoughts. Tears began to gather on the shelf of her eyelids, and she rubbed at her back self consciously. Her wings 'twitched' and she wished more than anything she could reach back and rip them off. '_These god damn angel powers... who even has powers like that? Why would they even need to be a thing?'_ She lay back on the bed and put her head in her hands, willing the day to go away. Willing it to be some strange, post-garden dream.

She wasn't sure how long she lay like that. She might have actually dozed off. But she woke when she heard the front door open, and heavy boots stomp into the entryway.  
  
  


“Hey, Waves, I'm coming up the stairs, so don't be doing anything gross!”  


Any other time, Wynonna's anouncment might have made Waverly giggle. Her sister had been much more cautious about barging into her room these days. Oh she still did it, for sure, but she'd gotten used to tossing out warnings ahead of her now.  
  
Today, of course, it just made her panic. “Ah.. nope! Hang on!”

She fumbled around to find last nights shirt without dislodging the blanket around her waist, succeeding in pulling her hair through the shirt just in time for Wynonna to barge into the room.

“Didn't I say hang on?” Waverly huffed

Wynonna shrugged, “I didn't hear Haught Sauce, so I figured it couldn't be too embarrassing.” She crossed her arms and paused for a moment, looking Waverly over, “Jeremy's pervy crotch senses were tingling, so I came to check on you. Everything okay?”

  
“Yep!” Waverly replied immediately. Too quickly, too high pitched. She didn't even need Wynonna's raised eyebrow to tell her how badly her bluff had gone, “Well- I mean- mostly. Kind of. Uh... weird night?”

Wynonna let her arms fall to her sides as she fell into the old and familiar role of Big Sister Comfort and took a seat beside Waverly on the bed.

“I know it can't be that bad, you and Nicole seemed to be doing great,” she lead with a grin and an elbow to Waverly's side. At Waverly's blush she added, “Yeah, thin walls, remember? Listen, babygirl, I love you and love having you here, but maybe learn to bite a pillow? Becau-”  
  
“Nicolemightbepregnant!” Waverly's hands shot over her mouth at the outburst

  
The Earp heir frowned as she decoded her sister's rapid fire speech. 

“It'smyfault. I might have done it.” the half angel continued “To her. Got her... yknow” She gestured lamely to her lower abdomen.  
  


Wynonna appeared to be doing some kind of complex equation in her head, her eyes moving slightly back and forth as she thought. After a minute her face settled on a grin, “Okay, Waves, I know you're usually the smart one of the two of us, so I know that you know that that's not possible. What's really going on?”

  
Waverly looked down at her lap as Wynonna waited patiently. One of the rare situations her older sister ever displayed patience was with her. She took in a deep breath.  


“Wynonna... you remember when we were kids and I asked you if I was normal? You know.. 'down there'?”

  
Wynonna's grin was gone, replaced by concern. “Yeah. Why, what's up?”

  
Waverly looked about the room, gathering her courage. She gripped the edge of the blanket. “Can... can I ask you that again?”

  
Her older sister side eyed her, “I mean... sure, I'm not exactly a gyno, but sure”

  
Waverly began pulling the blanket down as Wynonna continued

  
“but I swear, if Nicole said something or gave yOU HAVE A DICK!”  
  


Waverly winced “Yeah...”

  
“THAT'S A DICK”

  
“uh huh.”

  
Wynonna put her hands up to her face like blinders “ON MY SISTER”

  
“Wynonna, please...” Waverly's voice fell to a whimper as she covered herself back up, “I don't know what to do. And Nicole-”

  
“Oh shit!” Wynonna looked back at her sister, staring at her with a weird mix of awe and audacity “Babygirl, did you knock up the _sheriff_?”

–  
  


The cruiser sped down the road mostly on auto pilot as Nicole tried to take stock of everything. Her heart was thrumming nervously in her chest, and her fingers tapped across the steering wheel. Occasionally she tried to straighten her hair out or wiped a hand across her lips or bounced her left leg. Action felt good. Action felt like control and a little bit like solution. It was better than examining the situation too closely. Of course, that happened anyway.  


She loved Waverly with all of her being. She knew Waverly was it for her almost the minute she laid eyes on the petite brunette in Shorty's. That wasn't a problem. Nor was the prospect of starting a family with the youngest Earp. Nicole had actually daydreamed about such things before. Would they adopt? IVF? Maybe settle into the role of aunts for Alice once she was back safely (a thought that also frequented Nicole's mind).  


But this wasn't the same. She knew Waverly wasn't to blame for it, not really, but the idea that...  


She gulped. Even after the shower, she swore she could still feel the cum between her legs. Inside her. It felt dirty. It felt intrusive. _It felt like betrayal_, a part of her whispered. _It felt like-  
_

With a firm shake of her head she shrugged of the thought. This was Waverly she was thinking about. Sweet, lovely, kind Waverly. It wasn't like that. It was an accident. Accidents happen.  


And in Purgatory, accidents could take really weird forms.  


She pulled the car into a parking space without really thinking about it and realized she wasn't even quite sure where she'd gone.  


_That was dangerous_, she chastised herself, _come on, Nicole, keep it together.  
_

She looked up to take stock of her surroundings, and her eyes fell on the store's logo. She took a deep breath and rubbed at the back of her neck.  


Purgatory's pharmacy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to discuss character choices? I'm happy to! I have reasons behind my machinations, I promise. Find me on twitter at @Umachica
> 
> EDIT: fixed the formatting that was bothering me.
> 
> Blackthorn:  
Also known as sloe, this plant has hermaphroditic flowers and fruits that look like a cross between blueberries and grapes. Used in making alcohol, walking sticks, and shillelaghs, this plant carries the meaning of "difficulty and asceticism". It is associated with the Gaelic celebration of spring called Imbolc
> 
> (Disclaimer: Please don't seek out blackthorn or any of the plants listed in this fic as a form of modern medicine for ANY situation.)


	3. Pennyroyal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole makes a decision. Waverly struggles with her new body and Wynonna is just trying to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to BaggerHeda for being my beta on this! And thank you to everyone still reading along!
> 
> EDIT: okay, this was shorter than I thought. Comment if you'd like me to just add more to this chapter lol

“Nicole here, can't come to the phone right now, leave a message.”  _ Beep _

Waverly's voice was stilted and filled with so much false cheer even she could hear it “Hey babe, it's me. I just wanted to check on you, y'know, make sure everything's okay. Give me a call back, alright?”

–

Nicole didn't go back to the homestead afterward. Not that she couldn't have. She had a small selection of clothes and uniforms that had collected there, as crisp and pristine as any back home, with their own designated areas. It was a source of mild pride for her, having little spaces of the homestead that were for her things; watching her life mingle into Waverly's so effortlessly.

Right now though, she couldn't quite bring herself to go back. She winced at the guilt that thought brought her. It tugged at her heart, knowing that Waverly was scared and understandably freaked out and alone, but going back meant facing everything again, and try as she might, she just couldn't find it in herself to do that yet.

Nicole was not a coward, by any stretch of imagination, and she wasn't typically afraid of her feelings or of discussing them (though admittedly sometimes a little liquid courage helped ease the process.) But she felt herself teetering on the edge of some really unpleasant thoughts about what she had just been through, and sometimes the difference between escalating or de-escalating an issue was simply a matter of time.

She just needed a day doing something familiar. Something she could get lost in that didn't inherently involve Waverly. So she went back home, got dressed and ready to go into work.

But there was one thing that couldn't wait. Before leaving, she filled a glass with water and opened the box in the little brown bag she'd brought home. Some part of her did an internal eye roll at the ridiculous amount of packaging surrounding the tiny dose.

She stared at it in her hand and her heart squeezed.

So much importance in such a tiny object.

_   
_ _ Waverly _ ...

  
She closed her eyes and tilted her chin back towards the ceiling in a silent plea, feeling her eyes water. It was so quiet that she could hear the ticking of the clock on her wall. Words spoken during a party in a manor from what seemed like forever ago echoed in her mind.

_   
_ _ “You're dating a cop now - I go where the danger is.” _

  
A couple deep breaths to steady herself, measured with the ticking of the second hand.  


She reached for the glass of water and tossed the pill to the back of her throat.

–

“Nicole here, can't come to the phone right now, leave a message.”  _ Beep _

“ Heeey, it's me again. Um ... I know you have work today, but I was hoping you could drop by after? N-not for anything major, just to talk a bit. About ... you know ... just, please call me back?”

–

The afternoon found Waverly lying in stubborn discomfort on the couch. Her body had needs, which it tried to remind her of with some insistence, but she held fast against it in a tiny act of rebellion she already knew she would lose. Minutes passed. Heaving a dramatic sigh, she kicked against the armrest and wondered just how long she could ignore her body before things became desperate, then wondered if she really wanted to let things get there.

No, she thought, not really. So with a pouting groan she hefted herself reluctantly from her comfortable spot and finally waddled her way to the restroom. Waddled, because even just walking around had produced some uncomfortable sensations so far. Hell, picking out bottoms to wear had been weird. She wasn't much of a boxer briefs girl, and wearing panties felt weird to her. Not because of societal norms, really, just because it felt like she was ruining them somehow, stuffing everything in there.

Her sister had come to the rescue, tossing a set of boxers her way with a “don't ask, they're clean.”

So at least that had been solved. But everything else still felt weird. She had to decide which pant leg to tuck towards, which was something that hadn't occurred to her before really, but seemed obvious now. Things rubbed and slid and  _ moved _ in ways she wasn't prepared for, often when she wasn't really expecting it. Men are weird, she decided early on.

‘Aiming’ proved to be another new experience. She ended up making a bit of a mess of things, and her eyes stung with tears while she cleaned up.

_   
_ _ So stupid _ , she thought to herself,  _ no wonder they call annoying jerks 'dicks' _ .

When she stepped back out of the bathroom, she froze, her blood turning to ice as she found Wynonna standing in the kitchen with a phone to her ear. She wouldn't...

“Wynonna, what are you doing?”

Her sister looked at her with an expression that told her it should be obvious. “Trying to get you some help? Jeremy's gotta have something in the books, I bet.”

“We are SO not calling him!”

Wynonna's free hand lifted in a 'what do you want me to do' gesture, her other hand holding a ringing cell phone to her ear. “Hey, much as I hate to admit it, you know he's the best shot we've got at solving this.” A thought occurred to her and she covered the phone's speaker momentarily. “You do want to solve this, right? I mean I'm cool if you're cool, but - Hey~! Jeremy!”

“WYNONNA.” Waverly hissed through her teeth as she lunged for the phone, but her sister dodged with a smoothly executed side step, courtesy of many years of similar sibling scuffles. Waverly whined softly as she heard Jeremy on the line. She couldn't make out his words, but it was enough to know this wasn't some kind of prank.

“So,” the Earp heir continued, dodging her sister's continued efforts, “We've got a liiittle problem.”

Indignation flashed over Waverly's face despite herself.

“ _ Okay _ ,” Wynonna corrected, “Not that little. I guess. Ew.” She shivered, “Look, do you, or did Black Badge, or anyone else, know anything about uuhhhhh extreme magical body modifications?”

Waverly fumed, “Wynonna, I swear I'll - I will  _ smite _ you!”

Wynonna held up a finger. “Uh huh. No, yeah, I'm thinking less frog prince, more...” the one finger 'wait' gesture turned into one signaling something blossoming or growing, which she made down by her pants, of course. “Jack and the Beanstalk? I don't know fairy tales, dude, my sister grew a wang. Yeah.”

Waverly hid her face in her hands at first, then moved to pinch the bridge of her nose. She loved her sister. Really, she did. No really. It just took some reminders sometimes. Like now.

“No, she seems fine otherwise. Wai- Here? Now?” Wynonna paused and looked at Waverly only to meet two angry stormcloud eyes of hazel grey just before the smaller girl tore the phone from her hands with surprising ferocity.

“Jeremy Chetri, don't you dare come over here! If I'm going to be a science experiment we're doing it at the lab!”

Wynonna watched her phone sail across the room and bounce against a seat cushion. When she looked back, Waverly was stiffly storming out the front door.

–

“Nicole here, can't come to the phone right now, leave a message.”  _ Beep _

“Nicole, I know you're upset ... I really need you to know I didn't mean any of this. I mean, of what happened. I'm so sorry. But I can't -” she choked on her words. “I could really use you right now, Nic. Please.”

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After some back and forth, I decided to keep the chapters short for now. It seems I'm able to complete them more regularly that way, as opposed to taking longer to fill a longer chapter and sweating about getting caught up on stuff. A more piecemeal approach, but as long as it keeps my writing, I'm happy. It's been ages since I've been able to indulge in this hobby and I just want to keep it going strong.
> 
> Pennyroyal:   
Also known as penny rile, mosquito plant, and pudding grass. Smells of spearmint when crushed. Toxic to the liver, it has historical uses as an ancient form of contraceptive, among other folk remedies.   
(Disclaimer: Please don't seek out pennyroyal or any of the plants listed in this fic as a form of modern medicine for ANY situation. )


	4. Monkshood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly goes in for a health check with Jeremy and Wynhaught has a moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out again to BaggerHeda for being my beta through this!
> 
> Can I just say that all of you rock? Like, you all really really make me feel special with your words, and some of your comments have brought me to the verge of tears because no one's ever said the things about my writing that you all have. It means so much to me as someone who hopes to eventually make a living writing fiction and as someone coming out of a long depression driven writing drought. I read every comment and plan to reply to everyone, even if it takes me a bit. Everything you say encourages me to keep this going. This fandom is the best and I love you all. 
> 
> A new element gets introduced in this chapter, and unfortunately the angst continues, but bear with the story and we will get to more fluffy times soon, I promise!
> 
> Fun fact! The titles of these chapters do have meaning behind them, and I'm going to go back and add little notes at the bottom of the chapters for context.

Jeremy double checked the makeshift privacy curtain he’d set up. It wasn’t really ideal, but it would have to do to keep things out of sight, just in case someone came wandering in. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves, checked some information on his tablet, and turned to the other person hiding behind the curtain with him. “So! Just uh … before we get started I want you to know, if you start feeling weird or uncomfortable just tell me and I can stop. Whenever you need to, okay?” 

Waverly, standing with her arms crossed, squeezed her eyes closed at the awkward wording. “Jeremy could you just … not. Please.”

He looked at her with completely honest confusion. “What?” 

Waverly barely managed to avoid rolling her eyes as she brushed her hair back behind her ear. “Ugh, nevermind.”   
  
”Okay, well uh … whenever you’re ready to uh,” Jeremy made a gesture, “drop - drop the bass. Drop it like it’s hot.” He flinched under the look he received. “Drop trou?” He turned to put on a pair of latex gloves, fiddling with them nervously to avoid any more dirty looks.  
  
Waverly grit her teeth in irritation as she undid the button. Everything was irritating lately, if she was being honest. She wasn’t sure if it was just the situation (which definitely warranted some aggravation) or if something was going on with her hormones, but either way she knew she was being much less her usual sunny self and she knew it wasn’t really fair to Jeremy. With a sigh, she tried to mentally rein her moodiness in and hastily discarded her pants and boxers in one rushed move.  
  
Jeremy looked up again and did a double take, apparently not expecting her to have moved quite so fast. “Woah! Uh, okay. Have a seat?” He gestured back to the office chair behind her.  
  
She sat and pressed her legs together tightly, then realized such a pose likely wasn’t going to help things. She blushed. Hard. Jeremy had seen more of her than she’d like to begin with, what with Lucado’s decontamination showers and all, but this … this was a whole new level. Sitting here half naked from the waist down she felt vulnerable and exposed and she dreaded the touching she knew would have to happen. She felt a rising shame, for reasons she couldn’t quite pin, and she bit her lip as she averted her eyes, but made no move to make things easier for her friend. 

Jeremy knelt in front of her and put a hand on her knee, already feeling the amount of tension in the leg. He considered her for a moment, then lifted a hand to his mouth and cleared his throat, “Would it make you feel better if I told you it’s weird for me too?” He added a weak smile, trying to come across as jovial and comforting. It looked pained instead.  
  
Waverly just rolled her eyes and hung her head, but she couldn’t help the tiny twitch in the corner of her mouth. Jeremy’s words weren’t exactly comforting, but his awkwardness, the familiarity of it, was. She shook her head and took a breath, lifting her chin up as she braced herself and tentatively parted her thighs.

“Let’s just get this over with, okay?”  
  
\-----

Wynonna’s voice slid into the breakroom before she did. “Man, I didn’t expect you to be hanging out here.”  
  
Nicole heard the grin in the rich timbre and cringed. She had managed to avoid Waverly when she came in earlier and dashed past the front desk, but Nicole knew she should have been prepared for Wynonna to follow. She reluctantly turned to face the elder of the Earps as she finished a sip from her cup. “Here being … in my breakroom?”  
  
Wynonna tapped the coffee maker “Yeah. You’re a bigger java hog than I am. Thought it would be a ‘water water everywhere, not a drop to drink’ deal.” Nicole wrinkled her brow in confusion and Wynonna continued, a little more awkwardly “Well I mean it’s too early to tell, but with you, y’know, I’d have bet today’s donuts you’d already be off the caffeine and stuff already.”  
  
Nicole leaned against the counter behind her and crossed her arms, lips pressing into a thin line as she looked at Wynonna expectantly. “What are you talking about, Wynonna.” 

“Is that not sunshine herbal tea in your cup?” 

Nicole’s shoulders lifted as she drew in a breath and let it out again in a measured pace. “Waverly told you everything.” 

Wynonna crossed her arms and somehow managed to nod and shake her head once in the same motion. “Yeah, that kind of happens when she’s upset.” She looked pointedly at the redhead.  
  
Nicole nodded, looking down into her cup. There was a long pause as she contemplated her words. “I had to get to work.”  
  
Wynonna shifted her weight to the other foot as she seemed to weigh something in her mind. Finally she shrugged, stepped a little closer, and said, “Look, I get it, I’m no stranger to morning-after freak outs, and this is a little freakier than even I'm used to. Waverly’s worried though.”  
  
“I’m fine. Really. Just focus on helping her.”  
  
Wynonna could be oblivious sometimes, assumptions running away with her until she was smacked in the face with the truth, often at the most inopportune times. But like a drunk playing darts, she occasionally hit bullseye. Her expression hardened.  
  
“Really?” Wynonna cocked her head to one side “You’re cool with everything?” She stepped forward again, casually, leaning in just a little. “Because I know you, Haught-dog, work doesn’t stop you from texting at least forty hearts and a unicorn back to my sister at the drop of a big white hat.”  
  
The sheriff of Purgatory averted her gaze and gave a non-committal ‘hmm’ noise as she sipped from her cup.  
  
“Seems an odd time to zip up.” 

The sip turned into a longer gulp to keep from having to answer. Of course, that bluff couldn’t hold out, so she pulled back and licked her lips, using residual flavor as an excuse for the nervous reflex and set the cup down. “You know, just be- hey!” 

Wynonna snatched the cup and brought it to her lips, staring down Nicole the whole time. Her eyes widened at the taste just as Nicole snatched the mug back from her.  
  
“Okay, Sheriff, you wanna tell me what’s going on? Because that coffee’s as strong as a punch from Ronda Rousey and twice as bitter.” 

“Wynonna, please just let me finish my break in peace.” Nicole set the cup down again, a little more forcefully on the counter behind her, turning her back neatly on Wynonna and hoping she would take the hint.  
  
She didn’t. “Wait. You’re not worried about … you took action, didn’t you? Took the pill?” 

Nicole tensed, waiting for the hammer to drop, knowing that with Wynonna between her and the doorway she was stuck for the moment.  
  
There was a beat of silence before she heard Wynonna’s voice again. “I mean … that’s cool, I guess. Kind of a surprise, but, cool, cool.”  
  
Nicole frowned and looked back at the brunette, “A surprise?”  
  
“Yeah, I mean, you guys have that whole OTP thing happening. I kinda thought you two would be, y’know, freaked but all in. But no, that’s fine, dude. What, was that Wave’s quick thinking at work?” 

Nicole’s gaze slid sideways.  
  
Wynonna narrowed her eyes as she studied the redhead for a moment. Then her eyebrows lifted and her tone shifted to wary and warning “She doesn’t know.”  
  
Boot steps sounded just outside the break room as someone approached. Nicole turned towards the door, thankful for the out, and feeling guilty for needing one. The newcomer turned out to be one of her deputies poking their head in.  
  
‘_My deputies_.’ She couldn’t help the glow of pride in her chest at the thought.  
  
“Hey Sheriff,” said the officer with just a touch of insecurity in their voice. The new recruit. Nicole hadn’t even really learned their name yet. “Sorry to interrupt your break, but Mrs. Loblaw is-”  
  
“Right!” Nicole perked up, cutting the recruit off in her eagerness as she strode towards the doorway, “Got it. Be right there.”  
  
“Nicole-” Wynonna started.  
  
“Talk later, Earp.” Nicole tossed back over her shoulder.  
  
Left in the room with her thoughts, Wynonna pressed her tongue against the inside of her cheek and crossed her arms. Waves didn’t know. Normally Wynonna wasn’t much in for joint decisions when it came to these things. Woman’s choice and all, which was absolutely true. Then again her normal view of Plan B scenarios usually involved a dickhead, not a sickeningly lovestruck couple. Not her sister and her friend.  
  
Maybe it would be a good thing? Maybe it was just the news Waverly needed to set her mind at ease. Wynonna struck down the thought as soon as it formed. Baby Waves cared for fish and hamsters and goslings like they were all her children. She played mommy to her favorite stuffed animal. The way she’d held baby Alice, the way she reacted when they’d had to let her go … no, Wynonna had a feeling her sister wouldn’t be comforted.  
  
Besides, the problem wasn’t just Nicole’s decision after all, it was that Wayhaught (as Jeremy called them) were sensitive about communication and stuff. Wynonna had seen the arguments they used to have after all.  
  
She huffed heavily and ran a hand through her long hair. God she hated this magic bullshit. She turned on her heel and walked back out of the room and down the hall towards the lab. 

\-----  
  
Jeremy leaned back on his heels as he finished the examination. "I mean…” he shrugged, beginning to pluck at his gloves to loosen them, “everything looks normal…" 

Waverly glared at him incredulously. "Normal?!" 

"Well, you know, for a guy!" 

"Yeah, which I’m not!” The younger Earp rubbed her temples. “We're supposed to be finding a way to undo this, Jeremy, I don't care about evaluations."

"Hey,” the scientist gave a one-shouldered kind of half shrug, “You know, you gotta get a lay of the land before you start … uh…" 

Waverly raised an eyebrow, "Excavating?"  
  
"Ooh! Ok … ouch."  
  
She almost smiled at the immediate wince response. Small payback for his words earlier.  
  
“You guys done dicking around yet?” Wynonna said as she strode in. She looked at the curtain wall and grinned a little, “Sorry, couldn’t help myself.”  
  
Waverly peeked over the top of the barrier and gave her sister a wry expression. “Apparently I’m ‘normal’.”  
  
“Aw, it’s okay, baby girl, you know size isn’t all that matters.”  
  
Waverly scoffed.  
  
Jeremy walked out from behind the curtain, tossing his pair of gloves into the trash. “I was checking to make sure the uh, transformation, was complete. You know, no,” he made some gestures with his hands, “wires crossed, nothing backing up, going the wrong way … nothing that could cause serious medical issues.”  
  
“And?” Wynonna prodded.  
  
“_Normal_,” Jeremy stressed, “I mean, there’s no telling what this will do hormone wise, but structurally it’s all,” he paused, trying to find the right word, “correct. Everything is where it should be or isn’t where it shouldn’t be for a normal, healthy, penisborn male.”  
  
Wynonna eyed him oddly at the word ‘penisborn’ but then shrugged and addressed her sister “Well hey, guess that means no more monthly dues, right baby girl?”  
  
A quiet “Yeah…” slipped from Waverly’s lips, barely audible.  
  
Wynonna cleared her throat. “So what’s the word about getting Waverlady back?”  
  
Jeremy picked up his tablet and scrolled through it, “I mean … if it’s a manifestation of angelic powers it’s … probably going to take angelic power to fix it.” He looked at Waverly as she stepped out from behind the curtain, once again fully dressed. “Have you tried?”  
  
“Of course I did, but I don’t exactly know what I’m doing. There wasn’t exactly an angel academy when I was … there.” Waverly scuffed the toe of one shoe on the floor. There was, of course, no need for her to clarify where ‘there’ was. The memories were still pretty fresh for everyone.  
  
“Okaaay," The older sister put her hands on her hips, "so no Heavenly Hogwarts, but we can do what you did for college.”   
  
Waverly frowned “I don’t think that’s a correspondence course, Wynonna.”  
  
“No, we help you teach yourself.” 

\----

Deep within the Earth, or perhaps beyond, in a realm of darkness and flame, a great cry rose among the twisted populus. They writhed and cheered and lifted their voices, scrambling already to lay good tidings and seek good standing with the being forming before their eyes.  
  
Not everyone was happy. Some scowled at it, seething in hate and resentment. They couldn’t hurt it. Couldn’t lay a finger on it yet. That was forbidden. But they were already plotting to overthrow the wretched thing when time came.  
  
Others slunk on their bellies in fear, hoping they might escape the notice of the coming one. Still others wept for the world they still remembered, knowing the terror that would be visited upon it soon. But all paid attention to the glowing ember of life.  
  
It coiled and curled in a hellish cocoon, tiny, unformed, but already powerful. Already aware. It gazed upon the masses before it, gazed without eyes and listened without ears, weighing the worth of each being prostrating themselves upon the ground. It basked in the envy and hatred and fear and woe of those dreading its arrival, smiling without lips at their meager protests.  
  
_ Yes _ , it thought, without so many words. _ This will do nicely _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Monkshood:  
Also known as wolfsbane, woman's bane, devil's helmet and aconite. It's a beautiful tall standing purple flower that's extremely poisonous. It carries meanings of caution, enemies are near, and danger and must be handled extremely carefully, if at all.
> 
> (Disclaimer: Please don't seek out monkshood or any of the plants listed in this fic as a form of modern medicine for ANY situation. ...actually, double that warning for this one. Seriously, do not touch.)


	5. Mixed Zinnia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole and Waverly reflect on their current state and Nicole has an odd encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I lied. The Talk is next chapter. But enjoy the characters figuring out where they stand!

Four more days passed without word from Nicole. Four days of total silence and unanswered messages. Four long,desperately unsatisfying, days with only thoughts for Waverly to sift through. Her phone was as quiet as her bed, achingly so, and Nicole’s scent was beginning to fade from the pillow Waverly hugged to her chest at night.  
  
Well, sometimes hugged. One night she had thrown the pillow across the room in a fit of hurt and frustration. How could Nicole just leave her like this? It wasn’t like she was the one who had a sudden sex change! She had gone downstairs and vented to her sister, who said nothing in reply, but slid her whiskey bottle across the coffee table with a knowing look. They’d spent the night watching reruns of Kitchen Nightmares and the Great British Bake Off, with Waverly tipsily trying to imitate the accents and Wynonna teasing her until everything felt almost normal again.  
  
The first morning she had woken up to discover the inconvenience of morning wood, she had tried to crack a joke about it, but Nicole wasn’t there to tease back and wasn’t there to reassure. She had stared at herself in the mirror instead, self-conscious and repulsed by her own body and wondering if Nicole would ever come back to her while she was … like this. She had left more messages, of course. One in the morning; one at night before bed. But nothing came back. It was just four days, but to Waverly, it felt like ages.  
  
Wynonna had done her best to keep Waverly focused on fixing her physical attributes by insisting that the younger sister participate in “angel training.” Training that, so far, seemed to consist of either sparring, which proved as awkward as everything else physical until Waverly began getting used to her changes, or sitting and staring at an empty and half crushed beer can balanced on a fence post with such intensity that she went cross-eyed and developed a headache. According to her sister she was supposed to be trying to do – “I dunno, something. Lift it, smash it, turn it into a mouse?”  
  
The nearest they’d gotten to progress was when the can tipped over during one blustery afternoon, and Waverly was pretty sure divine powers weren’t involved in that, although her ‘wings’ _had _been particularly itchy and achy later that evening.  
  
But as Waverly reclined across the swinging bench on the front porch, gazing out at the open lands of the homestead, training wasn’t really where her thoughts were.  
  
Nicole had taken Plan B.  
  
When Wynonna had let the news slip the night before, Waverly hadn’t quite known how to react. She knew she should have been relieved and said as much to her sister then. Something to the effect of, “Smart. That’s probably for the best, yeah.”  
  
Which was true, of course. Nicole didn’t need that going on in her life, especially with her job. Sure, cops got pregnant sometimes, but Waverly wasn’t sure what it would mean for the newly elected Sheriff of a small set-up like Purgatory. Would Nicole have to take leave? Would she be put on restricted duty? How would the town treat her? Purgatory was small. Word got around, got twisted and scandalized. She and Nicole weren’t embarrassed about their relationship, so she knew enough of the town knew about them that a pregnancy would bring up uncomfortable questions.  
  
And maybe Nicole didn’t want to be pregnant. Ever! It was a big undertaking, and one Nicole probably never imagined would happen to her after all. She probably thought she’d never have to worry about it, so having the potential for it thrown into her life like that … well, Waverly could see the issues that could drag up.  
  
They just weren’t ready for a baby.  
  
_A Baby_  
  
Despite everything, her heart squeezed at the thought. A tiny little Haught-Earp bundle, a child, that _they _would have _made_. A child with maybe Waverly’s eyes and Nicole’s chin and Waverly’s cheekbones and red, red, hair. Maybe dressed up in a tiny police uniform with an oversized hat. Maybe curled up in her arms being rocked to sleep, or being fussy until Nicole brought the little one to giggles with funny faces and tickling fingers.  
  
It wasn’t the first time Waverly had thought of the potential for a growing family. She had always just sort of figured that they were going to adopt, eventually. And she was happy with that. Proud, even. She was thrilled that maybe sometime in the future they could take in a child that needed a home and someone to love. There were so many out there after all, and they would be no less her child than any she could give birth to.  
  
But that didn’t stop the soft glow in her heart at the impossible idea of a child between herself and Nicole, born of their love.   
  
It also didn’t ease the heavy weight of the knowledge that Nicole had made sure the idea stayed impossible.  
  
It stung, deeply, for reasons she couldn’t quite articulate. She knew she shouldn’t be taking it so personally. It was, she reminded herself, the reasonable, responsible thing to do. It was Nicole’s right. Waverly still felt awful about what had happened that night herself. Even if she hadn’t consciously chosen to use her magic that way, it was still her magic that made it happen. She couldn’t shake the idea that maybe, somehow, she’d wished this on them, and that Nicole had been left without a say in the matter. Like she’d tricked her into it. So Nicole taking action only made sense.  
  
And if she didn’t tell Waverly, well she wasn’t obligated to, after all.  
  
Right? Right.  
  
But despite the sound logic, Nicole’s silence ached deep, like a kick to the gut. It all felt, Waverly realised, like rejection somehow. Like Nicole was turning away from _her_, not just preventing a pregnancy. She wondered if Nicole was angry with her. What if … what if Nicole didn’t want children with her at all, biological or not? Worse, what if Nicole had wanted them, but after this … oh god … what if she had _hurt _Nicole?  
  
The thought brought guilt-ridden tears to her eyes. They rolled downward silently across her temples, glinting in the mid morning light as they drew her pain to the surface, where it bubbled out of her heart as a soft sob.  
  
  
\-----

  
  
Monday  
  
Wynonna: I’m PISSED   
  
This is unusual because…? :Nicole  
  
Wynonna: im cutting you slack cause   
Im busy helping my sister   
  
Wynonna: You know, YOUR FIANCEE.   
  
Wynonna: pull your shit together and talk   
to her or I’m gonna kick your   
top shelf ginger ass, Haut!   
  
Today  
  
...its Haught. :Nicole

The exchange stuck in the back of Nicole’s head while her sneakers pounded the soft turf beneath her. Her jog around the outside of the dog park today was helping to clear her head as well. She wasn’t much of a runner, compared to some, but she tried to go out for a mile run a couple days a week to stay fit. It could be pretty therapeutic sometimes, as could the sounds of the dogs frolicking and tussling about in the park. 

_ ‘You know it was an accident.’ _ Nicole gently reminded herself. _ ‘And you know that, as Purgatory accidents go, this could have been much worse.’ _  
  
Three days after her night with Waverly found Nicole feeling a little better, a little more like herself, which gave her courage. It also helped that she was fairly sure the pill had worked, judging by the light spotting she’d discovered yesterday morning.  
  
_ ‘Never thought I’d be _ relieved _ to see that,’ _ she thought sardonically.  
  
Someone tried to call their dog and Nicole glanced over to make sure the errant pup wasn’t making a break through the fence. A lab mix and its friends were running together in her general direction, but they didn’t appear agitated. She grinned briefly at their goofy antics, then returned her attention to her thoughts. The only problem she had now would be discussing everything with Waverly. She hadn’t meant to stay away quite so long. It had just been … hard. And unexpected.  
  
_ ‘Hah. That’s what she said, right?” _  
  
It wasn’t just about the potential pregnancy, though that had certainly been first and foremost in her mind when they’d discovered what happened. It was the realization that all things Garden and Angel hadn’t ended when Waverly came back. Nicole knew about the phantom wing effect Waverly talked about, of course, but that was different. This was power and magic, unpredictable, unstable, and potentially dangerous, that Nicole had honestly secretly hoped they wouldn’t have to deal with anymore. Like getting Waverly back had fixed everything somehow and all could return to the way it had been. It was pretty clear now that wasn’t the case, and yeah, Wynonna was right, she had freaked out a little.  
  
So now it was time to apologize. A little sense of anticipation and nervousness fluttered in her gut. Thanks to her patrols (and one past experience) she was familiar with a little flower shop up the road not too far from here, so she figured she would swing by there before heading home to shower and change. No good showing up all sweaty after all. Maybe, if things went alright, Nicole could take Waverly to eat somewhere at that new vegan place she wanted to try…  
  
A yelping whine tugged her back to the present and she turned her head in it’s direction, her footsteps faltering, then stopping entirely. She stared, eyes growing wider each second as she took in the sight.  
  
Behind the fence, the same lab mix she saw earlier was leaning against the fence, shoving it’s nose between the diamond links and snuffling loudly. It gave a short bark of excitement at catching Nicole’s attention and spun around, tail thumping against it’s fellows. Beside it, on either side, other dogs shuffled and shoved each other aside, half climbing over each other or trying to belly crawl below for a spot at the fence. To a one they exuded overflowing happy frenetic energy.  
  
As Nicole’s gaze fell across the rest of the park, she realized it wasn’t just the small play group running from before. With few exceptions, all of the dogs in the park were up against the fence, trying to get her attention. Their befuddled owners stared at her with lax jaws and leashes, their bemused expressions fixed on the Sheriff of Purgatory.  
  
Nicole licked her lips and looked back at the dogs. It was a wave of wagging tails and preemptively licking tongues. A chorus of restless whines and little throat grumbles that all seemed thrilled to see her. She looked back up to the owners, pasted a grin on her face, and shrugged helplessly. She pitched her voice to carry across to them. “That’ll teach me to get lunch before run, right? Ha ha.”  
  
A couple of people responded with weak chuckles. She stood there a second longer looking at the happy gang of pups, then nodded awkwardly to them, “Yep, nice to see you guys too. Uh … have fun? Be good?” She gave them an awkward wave, then turned and got back to her run  
  
_ ‘So _ ,’ she thought as she headed for the flower shop. ‘that _happened_.’   
  
Her footsteps pounded the earth beneath her as she made her way to the flower shop, huffing a little with each breath. She tossed a last glance back over her shoulder once she passed the fence to see the dogs starting to go their separate ways. Briefly she considered whether or not she should tell Wynonna and the crew about this when she next spoke to them, then shook her head. Not only was it not the time, but it wasn't really enough to raise the 'weird supernatural shit' alarm.   
  
'_Come on Nicole, focus._' she reminded herself, '_Waverly first. Always_.'

As her mind was preoccupied, she could be forgiven for missing the ephemeral outline of a figure standing a few yards away, gazing at her from where it leaned against a wall. Its arms were crossed, and its head tilted to one side in a gesture of pensive contemplation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zinnia:  
Named after German master botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn, Zinnias are part of the sunflower family and native to grasslands in the southwestern United States all the way down through to South America. In the language of flowers, mixed color zinnias represent 'thinking of absent friends' 
> 
> (Disclaimer: Please don't seek out Zinnia or any of the plants listed in this fic as a form of modern medicine for ANY situation. ...in fact, this one won't even do anything for you. It's a decorative plant, silly :3 )


	6. Snowdrop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been four days since they last spoke to one another. It's time for a Talk. Nicole shows up at the homestead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was tough. Besides getting sidetracked in my irl life, I really wanted to make sure I took care with this chapter because it's so important. I'm sorry for making everyone wait so long, but I do think it came out all the better for it. Thanks again so much to BaggerHeda aka @boo_in_la for being my patient beta reader.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

The crisp autumn breeze tugged fitfully at Nicole’s hair and clothes as she stepped out of her patrol car, encouraging her forward. The homestead loomed in front of her as if holding its breath. She took a moment to steady herself, then reached into the car for the Waverly’s gifts, sitting in the passenger seat. 

“Look what the cat dragged in,” said Wynonna, her voice flat and dripping with dry sarcasm. “Took you long enough.” 

Nicole winced. When she looked up, she saw Wynonna descending the porch steps in that slow and deceptively lazy way she had when she was feeling confrontational. Her boots thudded against hardwood with each step, and when she reached the bottom step she paused before popping the top on the bottle in her hand. Nicole wasn’t sure what it contained, besides enough alcohol to smell from where she stood. She wondered absently if Wynonna knew just how much she resembled her mother in that moment. Nicole had only met her once, but the shared affect was remarkable.  
  
“Hey,” Nicole greeted. She stayed where she was, the cruiser’s door still swung open between the two women. She tried to keep her tone nonchalant, casual. “Is Waverly home?”  
  
She was. Nicole could see her jeep parked there, in its usual spot. 

“I don’t know,” Wynonna shrugged in feigned ignorance. “Maybe if you’d been talking to her, you would.” 

Nicole let out a breath through her nose as she swung the car door closed. “Wynonna…” She didn’t take a step towards the house, instead glancing down at the mixed bouquet in her arms. Nestled in the crook of her elbow, a white unicorn plush watched the conversation with large blank eyes. Nicole fiddled with a flower petal. “I’m sorry.” She said softly.

“Well, while you were having your mommy meltdown, Waverly’s been getting poked and prodded more than Aphrodite at Pussywillows, she stopped going outside two days ago because she hates how walking feels, and when she’s not sleeping she’s trying to use her angel powers or deep diving google.” Wynonna paused as if recalling something and made a face. “Which has been a strange trip, trust me.”

“It’s been a lot for both of us, Wynonna.”

“Bullshit.” Wynonna stepped closer, gesturing at her with the bottle in her hand. Nicole couldn’t help the instinct that pulled her eyes to the holster at the brunette’s hip. Empty. A hopeful sign at least. The heir took a swig from the bottle, eyes never leaving Nicole. “You fixed your mess the first day and didn’t tell her a word.” 

Nicole couldn’t help it. She bristled. “It’s not-” 

“Her decision?” Wynonna cut in, “Yeah, I get that.” She leaned her hip against the hood of the police car. “Your body, your choice, all of that’s great. But she’s been in there,” Wynonna gestured back at the house, “with no idea what you’re thinking or what you’ve done, or what to plan for and she’s spinning herself into a little-” a brief struggle for words, “anxiety cocoon, because despite everything going on, her biggest concern is you. That she hurt you. That after all the demons and vampires, this is what it took to scare you off.”

Nicole internal hackles fell immediately. She drew in a breath and squared her shoulders. Her head tilted to one side, eyebrows drawing together as her gaze grew ever so slightly sharper. “You really think it was easy for me?” 

Wynonna stared stubbornly at the redhead for a minute, tension weaving in the air. Nicole silently willed her to understand. If anyone could, it would be her. Wynonna knew, first hand, how hard news of an unexpected pregnancy could hit. The panic, the distress, the racing through options and feelings about those options that used to be abstract thought exercises with simple answers, suddenly all too real. Suddenly not quite as simple. 

Or at least, Nicole hoped she did. 

The standoff lingered.

At length Wynonna’s shoulders sagged. She looked away for a moment, her face pensive, then gestured back towards the door wordlessly. Nicole put a hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes, trying to let Wynonna see the sincerity within. 

“Hey, I’m here now.” 

Nicole felt Wynonna’s hand pat her on the back as she strode past her and up the stairs. As she opened the door to go inside she heard Wynonna call over her shoulder. 

“She comes out of there crying and I’ll kick your ass, Nicole.” 

\---

Waverly looked up from the laptop she’d been curled up on the couch with when she’d heard the sound of an approaching engine. Wynonna was here, and it wasn’t the roar of Doc’s car, so she knew who it had to be. 

_ Nicole _.

The car door thudding shut was like the drop of a starting gate at a horse race, and her mind was the thoroughbred behind it. 

_ She’s here. Thank god she’s here. Oh god, she’s here. _

Waverly laid the laptop aside as relief and dread jockeyed for position. She sucked in a breath and ran her hands over the baggy sweatpants she was currently lounging in - Nicole’s, of course. Four days gone and all she had wanted was for Nicole to be there with her, to be reassured that Nicole was okay, that _ they _were okay. But with Nicole down there on her doorstep, the hurt rose up again too. The fear of rejection. Her knee began to bounce nervously and she wove her fingers together. She licked her lips. What would she do if Nicole came in and said ‘It’s too much’ or ‘I don’t want this anymore’? Waverly slammed her eyes shut against the thought. She got up and started pacing, arms crossed, fingers plucking at the loose pink fabric of her shirt as she went over which of the conversation starters she had come up with over the past few days, trying to pick one for when Nicole got here. 

_ Hey Nicole, I missed you so much… _

_ Why weren’t you answering my calls? _

_ I’m so so sorry… _

_ Nicole, why…? _

“Waverly?” 

Waverly started at the voice just outside her door. _ Shit! Out of time! _ She gulped and pushed down the swell of anxiety before rushing to the door and swinging it open. 

Nicole stood before her in favorite blue button up shirt and a pair of black slacks. Caramel eyes gazed at her, big and round and expressive as always, with just a hint of that puppy-eyed hope she had whenever they talked after a fight. Waverly was caught up in them until Nicole glanced down to her arms and drew her gaze to the large bouquet full of blue and purple hyacinths, mixed with splashes of white tulips and lilies. Nicole had placed the bouquet’s tiny vase in the arms of a sweet white unicorn plush with little gold hooves and a lavender mane and tail and a rainbow horn. She pressed it forward.

“Someone has a gift for you.” Nicole said, her tone gentle, soft, perhaps cautiously playful. 

Waverly’s expression contorted in a mix of amused smile and awkward, teary-eyed grimace, and a small spurt of a giggle escaped her lips. It was a sweet little gesture, and she moved to accept it. 

“I didn’t know unicorns delivered,” she responded quietly, with the same careful humor. She took the plush doll and bouquet with care then brought the flowers to her nose. The scent was fresh, sweet, and just a touch perfumy. 

Nicole grinned a little, “Yeah, UPS, Unicorn Postal Service.” 

Waverly rolled her eyes and gestured into her room with a tilt of her head before turning around and stepping further in herself. Nicole followed her lead and she could feel the redhead’s concerned glance slide over her form. She set the gifts down on the little desk beside her bed and turned back to Nicole, who cleared her throat before asking, simply, “So … how you doing, Waves?” 

Waverly tucked her hands in the pockets of the sweatpants and moved to take a seat on her bed as she considered._ Scared. Guilty. Happy you’re here. Angry you stayed away. Worried about what this will mean if I can’t fix this. Wondering where we stand. _

“I’m okay,” she said softly, and tapped one heel against the bedside, “I’m, uh, I’m getting more used to, y’know,” she glanced at her lap, “which I’m not sure I like.” She rubbed her left shoulder, moving it in little circles against the touch. 

“Yeah?” Nicole replied, still standing, hands in her pockets now that she had nothing else to do occupy them. She looked at her toes, “Um, Wynonna says you’ve been working pretty hard to figure all that out, huh?” 

Waverly nodded, and an awkward silence passed between them. 

“Listen, Waves,” Nicole began, “I’m… I’m so SO sorry I left.”

“No,” Waverly rushed in, quick to own her part in this, “no, it’s my fault, Nicole. I’m the one that - that changed.” she spread her arms open a bit to indicate her body. She bit her lip, “I didn’t mean to - I mean I would never want to - I mean…” She gestured helplessly at Nicole, either unable or unwilling to finish her thoughts out loud. Nicole held her breath and waited patiently for Waverly to find her words. 

“I…” Waverly lowered her head. “I feel like,” Waverly gulped again. She felt sick at the thought, disgusted with herself. One hand came up to hug her other arm self-consciously, and when she spoke again it was barely more than a whisper. 

“I feel like I _ forced _ this on you.” The angel’s voice cracked as she laid the thought bare. She was afraid to look up, but she did it anyways. “Nicole, did I … is this …” her eyes widened in open horror, brimming with tears “is this _ assault _?” There. She said it.

Nicole stared back at her like she’d been struck, mouth falling open and eyes mirroring Waverly’s before she rushed to the bed, sitting beside Waverly and reaching out a hand to place on the younger girl’s back. “God, Waves, no.” She moved her hand to brush hair away from Waverly’s face, then placed it on Waverly’s shoulder, as if trying to cycle through all the comforting touches she could. “No, sweetheart, it’s not like that at all, okay?” She drew Waverly close into a hug. 

“B-But,” Waverly stammered, “You didn’t know, you didn’t get a chance to say okay or not.” 

Soft lips pressed to Waverly’s temple, and she felt herself being rocked gently. Nicole’s voice grew whisper soft, “But you didn’t know either, right? That it was gonna happen?” 

Waverly shook her head, averting her eyes again. 

“See? Then it’s okay. It’s alright.” Nicole looked her over, as if she could physically see the worries and emotional marks on her skin. “Waverly, I never meant to make you think that…” Fingers slipping through Waverly’s hair again. Nicole ducked her head to catch Waverly’s eye, the corner of her mouth tugging into a slight grin, “It’s just an accident, okay? Happens to a lot of couples.” 

A choked bark of laughter escaped Waverly’s lips. “Not this way.” 

Encouraged, Nicole grinned further and shrugged. “Well, that’s Purgatory for ya, huh?” 

They shared a weak chuckle. It died off quickly, but some of the tension seemed to dissipate with it. Waverly leaned in closer to Nicole, resting her head on a comforting shoulder. One of her hands drifted over to touch the one Nicole didn’t have around her shoulders. She watched as she trailed fingers over pale skin. 

“You ran away,” Waverly murmured. Not an accusation, but something laced with guilt and question. Nicole turned over the hand Waverly was stroking, touching their palms together in warm embrace. She gave a long, low sigh. 

“I got scared,” the sheriff admitted. “I’ve never had to face something like that before and I ran from it.” She rested her forehead against Waverly’s and continued. “I shouldn’t have. You needed me just as much and I should have known that. But that’s all it was, Waves. I swear.” 

“Scared because,” Waverly’s brows knit together with worry as she looked into Nicole’s eyes again. “Because of your job?” 

Nicole leaned back, considering her answer, rubbing Waverly’s shoulder to assure her she wasn’t leaving. “A little, yeah,” she admitted again, her look turning guilty this time. “I’ve worked so hard to get where I am, and it shouldn’t matter if I uh, got pregnant. But as short staffed as we are, I’m afraid it would.”

Waverly smiled at Nicole’s bashful stumble over the idea of being pregnant. No wonder the reality had scared her so badly. 

Nicole swallowed and continued, “But that’s not the only reason.” She turned to more squarely face her fiancée. “I don’t want to have to make the same choice Wynonna made.” 

“Alice.” Waverly whispered in acknowledgement. She still remembered how much it hurt to let her go. 

Nicole nodded, “I know it was hard on you, and I know what it did to Wynonna and Doc. I don’t want to put us through that, Waves. Us or our baby.” 

Waverly’s heart seized again at the word. _ Baby. _

“So, you uh…” Waverly pressed her lips together, tucked them both between her teeth, and stared down at her shoes dangling off the edge of the bed. Her fingers knotted together. Her joined hands patted her knee. Nicole’s heart sank as she watched her fiancée's eyes fill with the hint of approaching tears. “You…” Waverly’s hands skipped forward as if the words would follow if she led them that way. 

Nicole’s face lit with alarm and realization, and her arms retreated, hands resting in fists in her lap. “Ah. Yeah, I, I took the pill.” She watched Waverly warily, suddenly a little nervous. Her eyes glanced to the window, as if keeping an eye out for someone. Probably Wynonna, Waverly realized absently. 

“I just,” Nicole began trying to explain, “I know I should have told you. I know you were scared too.” 

Waverly shook her head, then took a lungful of air and readjusted in her seat. Hearing Nicole say it made the feelings fresh again. The whole inner argument over all the reasons Nicole had done the right thing versus the way her heart ached at the missed chance. 

“No,” Waverly breathed out, “it’s best to take it as soon as possible, right?” Even to her own ears she could hear how flat her voice was. Like she was reading the words off a page, reciting instructions. Her throat constricted and she struggled to swallow past it.

_ This is ridiculous, _ she thought to herself. _ It doesn’t make sense, and it’s not fair to Nicole to feel like this! _

“Waverly?” Nicole sounded concerned again. Waverly felt the knuckle of one of Nicole’s fingers brush under her eye. Had she been crying? 

“I’m sorry,” Waverly sputtered out. Almost immediately she was pulled into another embrace, and those hands were stroking through her hair again, holding her close, and Nicole was making soft shushing noises as Waverly snuffled into her shirt. 

“Don’t be,” Nicole murmured, and held her love closer, drawing her into her lap. “It’s okay to feel, okay?” Nicole’s soothing nothings filled the air again until Waverly quieted. She nuzzled into the smaller girl’s hair and whispered, “I do want a family, Waves. One day.” 

“With me?” Waverly whispered back. 

Nicole tilted Waverly’s chin up and looked deep into her eyes. “Only ever with you.” 

Waverly heart fluttered happily. She bit her lip as a small, adoring smile creased the corners of her mouth. The way Nicole could pour her sincerity into her words and soothe Waverly’s mind with such ease never ceased to amaze her. She lost herself in gorgeous soft eyes and leaned forward. 

Their lips met in soft reconciliation. They both sighed at the contact, the kiss felt like a reaffirming of their love together, a healing of their shared wounds. 

Waverly breathed in Nicole’s scent. She pulled back and moved in again, kissing at a new angle, aiming to explore and treasure. Nicole followed and answered, moving with her like dancers. Fingers bumped into each other as they reached out at the same time, and they shared a grin before Nicole lifted one of Waverly’s hands to kiss along the knuckles. Waverly blushed, like she always did when Nicole treated her to that move. She reached out her free hand to cup Nicole’s cheek, running her thumb over soft skin. 

When they kissed again, Waverly met Nicole’s lips with parted ones, her tongue just barely past her teeth, slipping along and just barely into Nicole’s mouth. She felt more than heard Nicole’s groan, and grinned into the kiss with pride as she felt strong hands wrap around her waist. Nicole’s lips slipped down to her jaw, back to the joint and down, slowly to her pulse and she shivered with delight at the touch. God they had barely begun touching and already she felt herself getting worked up. She hated when they fought, would never seek arguments on purpose, but she had to admit, the making up part was, in fact, pretty stellar. 

Nicole’s skilled fingers stroked feather light just under her shirt, leaving trails of heat in their wake that spread up and down Waverly’s body. She felt hot and a little dizzy and the pants that had been comfortably baggy before suddenly felt too constricting, too tight. It felt like… 

“W-wait.” Waverly stammered and leaned back, Nicole did as well, curious at first, but when her eyes followed Waverly’s down to the brunette’s lap… 

“Ohhhh, fudgenuggets!” Waverly moaned and covered her face with her hands before dramatically falling back on the bed.

Nicole bit her bottom lip to stifle her laughter. “Babe... “ 

“I knooow…” Came the muffled reply.

“Are you really pitching a tent in _ my _sweatpants?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snowdrop:  
From the Galanthus genus, snowdrops usually flower in winter (hence the name) but some flower in early spring or late autumn. In most countries collecting them in the wild is illegal because many of the species in the genus are threatened or critically endangered due to habitat destruction and climate change. They do contain a poorly studied mild toxin. They also contain contain Galatamine, which is also poorly studied, but may hold promise of treating Alzheimer's Disease
> 
> They're often considered signs of spring, but also symbolize friendships in trouble, consolation, and hope.
> 
> (Disclaimer: Please don't seek out snowdrop or any of the plants listed in this fic as a form of modern medicine for ANY situation. Leave it to the pros.)


	7. Majoram

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a heart to heart, Nicole and Waverly get reacquainted with the... situation at hand. (it's smut ya'll)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter yet! Whew! 
> 
> I'm sorry these have started taking a while. I've had some stuff come up recently that's made me slow down a bit. But I promise this fic is gonna keep on rolling! I will not stop until the story is told. Thank you all very much for your patience.
> 
> So, what better way to make it up to you all than with smut? Writer's First Smut! Please let me know how I did, with both the smut and the story. It has a huge impact on me.

Soft, breathless laughter filled the modest space of Waverly’s bedroom and the sunlight filtering through sheer curtains flittered over the couple responsible for the sound, who lay stretched out across the bed together. One squirmed with her hands over her face as the other danced fingers along her side and touched their foreheads together. Nicole tilted her head up and let her jaw fall slack into a lazy open smile in the process, trying to peek through Waverly’s fingers and catch sight of crescent moon eyes creased in joy and a pretty blush across sun-kissed skin. 

“Nico-o-ole, stop!” Waverly laughed delightedly as she half-heartedly struggled under Nicole’s skilled touch “I think you’re making it worse!” 

Nicole wasn’t keen on listening at the moment. It felt good to hear Waverly laughing again, and if what Wynonna told her was true (she had no reason to believe otherwise), then her girl hadn’t exactly had many moments of levity in the last couple of days. Besides, this wasn’t just for fun. It was payback! 

“Yeah?” she teased, “That an apology?” She slowed her attack, backing off to let her love respond. She watched and waited. Waverly pulled her hands away from her face.

“I’m - eeee!” The brunette squealed as Nicole’s suddenly redoubled efforts interrupted her, and Nicole’s mischievous laughter mixed with hers again.    
  
“I’m s-ee!-I’m sor-nah-ha! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Waverly batted at Nicole’s arms and she rolled to her side, facing away from her fiancee, and curled up to protect herself. She grinned over her shoulder. “I promise I won’t get into your pants again.”

Nicole relented and sat back up, still chuckling, to lean her weight on one hand. “Hey now, I didn’t say you had to go that far.” She watched with a gentle smile as her lover’s breath rose and fell heavily. Her mind drifted into a vague mist of contented half thoughts as she reached out her hand to smooth her palm across the ribs she had just mercilessly attacked. She felt Waverly’s breath hitch and felt the smaller woman grow very still. 

“Ah, N-nicole?” Waverly’s voice trembled, and she swallowed past a suddenly tight throat. Hesitantly she removed Nicole’s hand from her side and sat up, licking her lower lip and tucking it under her teeth. Nicole looked at her. Waverly’s eyes were glazed and her cheeks were red.    
  
_ Oh,  _ the officer realized. “I’m sorry, Waves I just-” 

“No. No it’s fine,” Waverly rushed to intercept, “I just, uh,” her knee bounced a little and she shook her head to clear it. “You wanna, you know,” her eyes darted towards the door and back as she seemed to blush even harder, her legs squeezing together and her hands covering her the bulge in her lap. Nicole’s brows knit together, not quite understanding as Waverly continued. “Go downstairs for a bit? Pick out a movie to watch or something while I, um...” Now Waverly’s gaze dropped to her hands and back up sheepishly. She shrugged. 

“Oh!” Nicole said with sudden realization, “Right now?” Then she leaned back a little, unsure, and a little awkward “Ah, right. Um, yeah, sure.” She stood up and made for the door, then paused and turned around to look at Waverly again, concern resting in her eyes. 

“Hey, Waves,” she began, looking at her hands as they fiddled together, then back up. She tried to funnel as much sincerity into her voice as possible. “I just want you to know, I’m not put off by it or anything,” she said with a brief gesture to Waverly’s lap. “I mean, it’s not my preference,” she added with a chuckle, “and if you want the privacy, that’s fine, but I’m here for you. Okay? Nothing about  _ that  _ is gonna chase me away. So if you need anything…”

“Nah,” the brunette hurried and waved one hand as if to shoo the idea. “I just uh,” she trailed off as she winced. “I wanna take care of this before it’s too late or something.” 

Nicole frowned, just a little, her back straightening with surprise “Too late?” She repeated, confused. 

“ _ You know _ ,” Waverly stressed and lowered her voice, like a young tweenager sharing forbidden news with a friend on the playground. When Nicole didn’t seem to get it, Waverly looked pointedly at her and half whispered, half mouthed, gesturing awkwardly “before they go  _ blue _ .”   
For a moment, Nicole could only stare blankly. Then the realization dawned and she was forced to rein in the urge to laugh.  _ The blue balls myth! Really? _ Waverly was always so clever, so sharp and together, that Nicole sometimes forgot what a small town she grew up in. While that didn’t necessarily equal poor sex education, the inclination towards it was there. She grinned, only a little at first, then wider. She crossed her arms and her head dipped lower as she shifted her weight to try and hide the building mirth, but her breath escaped in a tiny huff of amusement that gave her away. She spoke through lips braced against a wider grin, “Babe.” 

Waverly looked up at her with a mix of confusion and surprise. “What?”

Nicole shook her head and her eyes, still sparkling with amusement, gained a touch of sympathy, “That’s not how it works.” 

The younger girl’s eyes darted side to side, as if scanning through her mental database. “It’s not?” 

“No!” Nicole couldn’t hold back a short burst of choked laughter at her lover’s perplexed expression, and the returning pout she received from her only made it harder to restrain another bout of chuckling. “Is that Purgatory’s excellent sex ed program at work?”

“Hey!” Waverly protested, “Look, Mrs. Lipnicki was a prude, okay? She gave us the barest of basics and flat out said nothing else mattered unless we were stupid enough to have sex, which we shouldn’t because if you do you get pregnant, have a baby, and die, in that order.” 

“I’m sorry,” Nicole snickered again, “It’s just such an old line of bullshit.” At Waverly’s still confused look, she continued, “It’s one of those things guys say just to convince girls to, um.” Her voice trailed off as she watched Waverly’s bright expression fade. The younger girl’s chin tucked inward and she averted her gaze. Another realization struck Nicole. The humor left her, and her shoulders drooped as her voice lowered, serious and concerned. 

“Champ?” 

Waverly nodded, but she didn’t look up. She rubbed her upper arm in a self comforting touch. Nicole moved back to the bed, taking her place beside her love again and looping an arm around her shoulders. 

“‘S stupid.” Waverly muttered with a light voice and a dismissive shake of her head. “I should’ve known.” She glanced down at her lap, lifting her hands to take a look, and rolled her eyes, “Yep, already taking care of itself a little. Geez.”

“Hey,” Nicole said gently, “You said yourself, you didn’t have the best resources out there. Guys use that line for a reason, alright? Nothing you did wrong.” 

Champ dropped, if possible, even further in Nicole’s graces. She wasn’t exactly surprised to hear he used that particular line, but it still ticked her off. Her protective instincts bristled at the notion of it.  _ How many times had he… _

She stopped herself from traveling down that line of thought. No good would come of it now, after all. Instead, Nicole pressed a kiss to Waverly’s temple and drew her into a hug. The smaller girl leaned into the embrace and tucked her head under Nicole’s chin. 

“Well, I guess that takes care of that.” Waverly muttered. Something in her voice caught Nicole’s attention, and she looked down at her love again, the corner of her mouth tugging into a hint of a smirk. 

“Don’t tell me you’re disappointed,” she teased.

Waverly shrugged. “I mean, I guess I was a little curious too, y’know.” She blushed. “About how it felt.” She sat up, stammering a little. “I mean, I know that we, you know,” her hands made a gesture that made Nicole shut her eyes for a half-second at it’s crudeness, then continued, “but, I wasn’t, um, I didn’t know, and I don’t know when it exactly, uh. Um.” 

Nicole put a hand over Waverly’s to calm her down. Her heart warmed. Of  _ course _ Waverly was curious. She was  _ Waverly _ . Even if the situation bothered or frightened her a little, she wanted to try to experience and understand. Hell, her need to explore might even be  _ because  _ she was bothered by it. The need to familiarize herself with the strangeness of it all.

“You want to explore.” Nicole said simply, trying to show Waverly she understood. When Waverly nodded, still looking bashful, Nicole stared at her, noting the insecurity still there as an idea churned itself up in her head. There had been a time, long ago, when she had her own daliences with a man or two. It had never really been particularly enjoyable, but if she could do it for them… 

She took a breath, then slid her hand down over Waverly’s wrist and along her arm. She watched her lover’s eyes follow the caress as it dipped further, to rest gently on Waverly’s thigh. Nicole heard the shudder in Waverly’s breath as the smaller girl spoke her name in a small voice filled with question. 

“Nicole?”

The redhead watched her own fingers trace delicate patterns over the worn material of the borrowed sweatpants, lingering at the inside of Waverly’s knee. Her gaze shifted over to encompass the lifted fabric over her lover’s crotch. It twitched, as if feeling her eyes on it. 

“Would it help you if I stayed?” Nicole spoke in a voice just above a whisper. Her vision slipped back to grey-green eyes. 

Waverly’s eyes widened, and her mouth formed into a surprised ‘o’, but no sound came out at first. She seemed to be stuck. With a shake of her head to gather herself, she held Nicole’s gaze as she fumbled with her words. “You don’t have to.” She breathed back shakily. “I-I know it’s not your thing.” 

Nicole smiled softly, leaning in until their foreheads touched “Waves. You’re my thing. Alright? Always.” 

The world fell still for the length of a heartbeat. It hung there, suspended in indecision, supported by Nicole’s patience. 

Then Waverly’s lips crashed hungrily into Nicole’s. Her hands cupped Nicole’s cheeks. Someone moaned. Waverly’s arms moved away and made to slide around Nicole’s waist, but Nicole held them back. Before Waverly could question the action, Nicole slid away from the mattress and knelt before her. Waverly stared, slack-jawed, as Nicole eased her legs apart to move between them.    
  
“N-nicole,” she breathed. 

“It’s okay.” Nicole reassured her, hands drifting up over Waverly’s thighs and to her waist, trailing along the top of the sweatpants. She felt Waverly’s abs flinch under her touch, felt the smaller girl lean back and rest her weight on her hands to give Nicole more room to move. “If you want me to stop,” she began, her voice warm. 

“You too,” Waverly jumped to reassure her. “If you don’t want to anymore, you stop too. Deal?” 

“Deal,” Nicole grinned and leaned forward, her hands lifting Waverly’s shirt just enough to let her place a kiss against firm abs. She resisted the urge to tremble, not entirely from arousal, when she felt something brush against the hollow of her throat and heard Waverly suck in a hissed breath above her. Lifting her gaze, Nicole could just see Waverly’s expression, full of surprise and desire, over the curve of her breasts. Pale fingers dragged just beneath the drawn cord of the sweatpants as Nicole continued dotting soft kisses across Waverly’s stomach. 

“Uhhn, Nicole.” Waverly moved one hand to slide over the lines of Nicole’s neck, her thumb sliding home behind Nicole’s ear, fingers curling them back to tickling against the fine hairs at the nape. 

Nicole hummed into her kisses, soaking in the delicious feeling of Waverly’s caress. She could feel the tension in the muscles beneath her lips, and she nuzzled the spot. “Sorry, sweetheart.” Her breath warmed heated skin. “I know you’re all worked up already. It’s okay. I’ve got you.” 

Waverly’s hips twitched involuntarily, and the fingers of her free hand dug into the comforter beneath her. “Nic, I-” 

“Shhh, I know.” Nicole’s voice had dropped to a lower, silkier timbre, a heady swirl of soothing and arousing and affectionate all at once. Her fingers delved more fully into the sweatpants and she began to ease the fabric down, kissing the skin that was revealed in the process. She could still feel the bump brushing against her throat, straining against the cotton. If she wasn’t mistaken, she thought the spot might feel a little damp. She felt another shiver tickle up her backbone and shrugged it away.  _ For Waverly _ , she mentally reminded herself. 

When she couldn’t pull the pants down anymore and found Waverly failing to assist, she looked up to see Waverly lost, her eyes glazed over and shining like deep pools. 

“Babe,” Nicole nudged Waverly’s hip, “you with me?” 

Waverly blinked and nodded dumbly, moving both hands back to the bed and lifting her hips just enough for Nicole to slide the pants further down. The cord, though not drawn terribly tight in the first place, was still drawn across her skin as Nicole maneuvered the waistband down, down past the thatch of brown curly hair and then over the top of the shaft. The sensation dragged a whimpered moan from Waverly’s throat and her hips pumped up seemingly of their own volition just as the head of the shaft popped free. “Ah!” 

Nicole rocked back at the sight before her, drawing in a hopefully subtle nervous breath as took in the view of Waverly’s… of her...

_Cock_, she told herself sternly, _Don’t be weird about it. That’s just what it is._ _Just a penis. On your girlfriend._

She felt like it looked somehow bigger than before, though to be fair she hadn’t really been scrutinizing the growth too carefully then. It wasn’t absurd in size, by any means, but Nicole figured it was probably pretty respectable, as such things went. She could see the puffy, swollen shape of the head under the foreskin that cloaked it, the very tip just peeking out and already slick with precum. She gulped at the sight, her mouth going a bit dry. 

_ Uncut _ , her mind helpfully supplied as she stared, _ I guess that makes sense. _

Waverly noticed her hesitation immediately and moved to cover her erection, a shamed blush blossoming across her cheeks and apologies already stammering out of her lips. But Nicole’s hands were there to tangle with hers, stopping the cover up as brown eyes met hazel again. 

“Hey, hey,” murmured the older woman, as if to a startled horse, soothing again, soft. She kissed the backs of Waverly’s knuckles, “It’s alright, I promise.” 

Waverly tucked her bottom lip under her teeth, eyeing her fiancee dubiously. 

“I mean it.” Nicole squeezed the hands in hers. “It’s just, you know, “ she bobbed her head to one side, eyebrows bouncing up for a second. “Been a while since, uh.” She shrugged and her lips twitched into a bashful grin. 

It took a minute, but Waverly slowly, slowly relaxed, then grinned back, shyly at first, then with a cautious hint of coyness, still holding her lip in her teeth. She titled her head to one side curiously and brushed her fingers along Nicole’s. “Is it…?” 

Nicole hung her head with a chuckle before looking back up. “ _ Waverly _ ,” she stressed the name, as if scandalized. “Are you asking me to compliment it for you?” 

“ _ Well _ ,” Waverly stressed back, but trailed off, apparently unable to come up with a good reason behind doing just that. She shrugged, blushing hard again, “I mean, if I’m gonna have one, I…” Her voice died in her throat at a touch of a fingertip.    
  
Nicole moved the side of her pointer finger in a slow, short, exploratory line up, then back down a tiny section of Waverly’s shaft. She watched and felt the soft smooth skin slip and slide over the firmness beneath. Felt the whole organ twitch again anxiously, of its own accord, as if it acted independently of the body it belonged to. Her stomach fluttered unpleasantly at the idea, recalling the part’s supernatural origins and briefly distracted by odd stray thoughts. But the skin felt like Waverly’s softness, and the whimper above her was Waverly’s voice, so gradually she untangled the rest of her hand from her lovers and drifted more of her touch where it was so clearly needed. 

Fingertips stroked upwards, gently curling as they did so and surrounding the shaft beneath them in gentle warmth. Nicole tilted her gaze back to Waverly’s as she neared the head of the cock, checking in on her fiancee. She found Waverly’s mouth wide open in a silent, breathless gasp, eyes so wide they were round as dinner plates. She let her fingers slip over the surface of the foreskin. Carefully her thumb circled the edge of the covering before dipping over to feel out the slit of the barely exposed head, sliding just  _ so _ , the way she knew Waverly liked elsewhere. Waverly groaned appreciatively, sparking a warm heat low in Nicole’s belly that blossomed quickly throughout her body. Nicole took in a breath, still amazed at the way nothing got her going quite like Waverly’s pleasure did. 

Then Nicole looked back down, took a breath to steel herself, and pressed her forefinger and thumb closer against the edge of the foreskin. She drew her hand down experimentally, and watched with mixed feelings as the fleshy cloak slipped back with the motion, revealing the mushroomed head, flushed and slickened by precum. With a smooth touch she used the pad of her thumb to circle the ruddy flesh and watched in awe as her lover’s eyes rolled back in her head and her chin fell back to reveal the tanned expanse of her neck. The tendons there flexed visibly as Waverly gave a throaty cry, deeper than Nicole was expecting, somewhat choked and slightly frantic. 

“G-god, Nicole!” Waverly’s hand grabbed reflexively at Nicole’s wrist. She drew in her breath in long quiet panting as she leaned back towards her lover.

Nicole, taken aback a little by the reaction, halted her motion immediately. “Are you-” 

“Yeah,” the smaller woman huffed out with a quick and emphatic nod of her head, her eyes squeezed closed as if trying to hold on to the burst of sensation. “Yeah, just, keep going,” Her voice was breathy, ragged. Then her eyes opened and she grabbed Nicole’s forearm, looking at her earnestly, but hungrily. “Unless you don’t…” 

The redhead licked her lip and glanced back to the source of warmth in her hand. There it was, almost quivering, looking somehow taut and strained. She felt it twitch subtly beneath her, felt Waverly flinch at that as well. The little divot wept its liquid out again. It wasn’t necessarily gross, exactly, but… 

But then Waverly’s reaction. Oh now that had been a wonder that lit up her nerves like a damn christmas tree.  _ That  _ she could do with more of. 

Wordlessly she circled her thumb over the head again and heard the catch of Waverly’s breath in response. Gently, but firmly, she slid her fingers first down, and then back up the shaft, looking up into her lover’s eyes as she did and catching the almost black twin pools staring back at her. She repeated the stroke, then took a chance to softly apply pressure around the head, just the lightest squeeze. When Waverly whimpered helplessly, Nicole found her own breathing picking up. A need swelling and warming in her lungs. 

She felt Waverly’s hands relax, one moving back to the bed and the other returning to the hair at the base of her neck, starting to play across sensitive skin there and sending an entirely different type of shiver dancing over her skin. She tugged and slid a little more fervently in response, drawing more needy sounds from that angelic voice.Tan fingers gripped at the comforter. 

“Yeah. Oooh, yeah.” Waverly whispered, starting to squirm a little in her seat. 

Nicole moved to pick up the pace a little more, encouraged by Waverly’s reactions. She found it smoother going than she expected. Maybe the foreskin and natural lubricant was making a difference? Hell if she knew. But she was starting to be able to tell that, excited or not, they were going to need a little help. She worked her mouth, sucking on the inside of her cheek to build up the moisture she would need. 

She thought about applying it directly, but her mind nixed the idea before it could really form. She just couldn’t see herself like that. So, she spat into her free hand as gracefully as she could manage, then switched palms, sliding along the shaft more smoothly with the lubrication. Waverly’s hip rocked up beneath her hand, and the half angel moaned heavily. 

“Uhhnnn! God, yeah! Ohn, faster baby. Faster?” 

Nicole smiled at the reaction, at the question in her lover’s voice. Heat and desire twisted and swirled in her gut and between her legs as she felt Waverly’s touch at the back of her neck become less sure of itself, now sliding back, down her jawline towards the tip of her chin. Waverly’s pleasure boosted her confidence, and as her strokes grew more sure, more steady, a notion crept into Nicole’s mind. Play.    
  
“You want me to go faster, baby?” She asked with just a hint of teasing behind it. 

“Haahh!” Waverly gasped and gave another roll of her hip, “Yes. Yeah. Oh yes.” 

Mischief shone in rich hickory eyes as Nicole dragged the tip of her tongue just across the inside of her top lip. “Yes, what?” 

“Oohhhhh, Nicole!” Waverly tried to protest, but Nicole’s decision to circle the head of her cock like she might circle a nipple yanked a cry from Waverly’s throat. 

“Please!” the brunette squealed out, and Nicole felt her thumb grow wet. “Please, fuck, Nicole!” 

The redhead laughed softly, “Maybe not tonight, babe. Buuuuuut…” She slid up from her position on the floor and, careful to keep her hand cupped where it was, she scooted up onto the bed, behind Waverly. She positioned her legs to either side of the smaller girl and pressed her stomach against Waverly’s back, touching her chin to the angel’s shoulder as her free hand wrapped comfortingly around Waverly’s midsection. 

Nicole placed a tender kiss behind Waverly’s ear, then breathed against the ear lobe, “How’s this?” 

She felt Waverly melt back into her and hum, and her heart fluttered at the sense of connection between them. “Watch with me,” she whispered. 

Waverly looked down to Nicole’s hand wrapped around her shaft. She trailed the hand twisting the bedspread over Nicole’s arm, echoing the shape of the fist with her own grip. Both of their hands there, together. 

“Guide me?” Nicole suggested, throwing heat and huskiness into her voice, the way she new Waverly liked. She grinned when she felt her soulmate’s shiver. 

Waverly began to move both of their hands, while Nicole focused on varying pressure and the touches of her fingertips. It didn’t take long like this, so close, for Waverly’s helpless wimpers to start up again. For their hands to fall into a faster rhythm, pumping smoothly from base to tip, in time to the rolling of their hips. 

“Ah, ohhh. Oh Nicole that’s.., it’s sooo…”

Nicole began dotting kisses over Waverly’s neck, sucking here and there when Waverly gave a tiny jump beneath her. She felt the heat grow and pressed her breasts forward against Waverly’s back. Waverly tossed her head back and croaked out moan after moan as she pressed back, anxious for the friction there. Her free hand flew to Nicole’s knee and squeezed as they kept going, earnestly now and without remaining preamble. Sweat beaded her forehead and salted the flavor of her beneath Nicole’s questing lips. 

The arm Nicole held around Waverly’s waist retreated just a little, only for the hand to snake its way up Waverly’s abdomen, under her shirt, up to cup a heavy breast, and Nicole felt her heart leap with the familiar weight and shape. She cupped and played along the underside for a moment, before sliding her thumb lightly over a taut nipple. 

Waverly’s chest leapt into Nicole’s hand as she shouted her ecstasy to the ceiling, and the hand guiding Nicole’s fumbled the rhythm, falling back to grab Nicole’s other knee. 

“oOH GOD NICOLE” came the hoarse cry as tears built up at the corners of Waverly’s eyes. “Nicole!” she cried out again, when her lover kept going, not missing a beat, gently squeezing her nipple while the other hand pumped and milked in hot, swift strokes now. 

“YES! OH!” Waverly cried again. Nicole couldn’t help it, she moved to lick once at the spot behind Waverly’s ear that she’d kissed earlier, then closed in to nip it. 

“Nicolei’m- i’mgonna-ah-AH!” 

Waverly’s hips surged up and her body pulled taut, choking off her scream. Nicole felt the shaft in her hand pulse rhythmically and watched as white spurts of liquid shot forward with what she considered surprising vigor.  _ Jesus, is there supposed to be that much? Is it because it’s new for her or something? _ She pondered moving her hand down to feel over the balls beneath the shaft, and once again couldn’t quite find herself ready to do that yet. So she kept her hand moving, slowing it gradually, easing Waverly down just as she would normally, adding soft kisses against her neck and shoulder happily. 

Waverly’s voice faded back in small half-moan, half-grunts, still flinching on occasion when another pulse wracked her nerves. As she calmed, she fell bonelessly back against the strength that was Nicole. She shivered again and released a lingering sigh of relief. 

Nicole just held her, tucking her chin over the smaller girl’s shoulder and letting go of the softening cock to wrap both arms around her love. She still felt her own heat burning, but it was fading now, to something more like a patient simmer, not sated by any means but satisfied to have given her love pleasure. “Mm, better?” 

Waverly offered a weak giggle and turned to press her face into Nicole’s chest in response. “Thank you,” she muttered softly, drowsily. “You’re so good to me.”

Nicole chuckled and kissed the top of Waverly’s head. Her heart swelled with a delightful sense of self pride. “Anything for you, Waves.”

They sat in that happy, contented moment for a while. Nicole thought Waverly might actually have drifted off. Unfortunately, Nicole also thought she felt a stirring in her gut. She tried to hold it off, but… 

“Waves?” 

“Mm.” The smaller girl pressed closer. 

“Waves, come on. We gotta eat, okay?” Nicole’s voice was gentle, but insistent. 

Waverly sighed through her nose. “Could just nap.” She responded. “Not hungry when you’re asleep.” 

Nicole nudged her a little more firmly, “Aha, yeah, but you also left a mess on the floor and I don’t think you’re gonna want that staying there very long, right?” 

Waverly blinked to alertness “Mess? O-oh.” She coughed, nervously, “Right. I’ll just, uh, take care of that real quick” She climbed off Nicole’s lap and pulled her pants up before heading to the bathroom for a towel. “You know, when I think about how ‘clean’ most guys I’ve known keep their rooms-” 

“Don’t.” Said Nicole firmly, with a wince, “Some things are probably better left unspoken.” 

They giggled together at the gross concept. It sounded comfortable to Nicole’s ears.

Reassurance settled in her heart. They could get through this. 

Together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Majoram:   
An extremely smooth feeling perennial herb in the mint family that has a pine/citrus sweet taste and is used in cooking, as well as for the essential oils it produces. Aphrodite was believed to have created this plant as a symbol of happiness. It also represents comfort and blushes. 
> 
> (Disclaimer: Please don't seek out majoram or any of the plants listed in this fic as a form of modern medicine for ANY situation.)


	8. Rhododendron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly dreams, Nicole thinks, and something new stirs in Purgatory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy roses, a NEW CHAPTER?! That's right, the fic isn't dead after all! Hahahaha... 
> 
> Life is crazy, but I finally managed getting around to update this story. I promise you will not have to wait this long for the next one (i'd like to finish the fic before the world ends. Please, 2020. )

The sun wasn’t up quite yet, but Waverly was, thanks to aching shoulders and an upset mind. Instead of lying awake in the dark, she had turned on the lights and padded quietly downstairs to make herself a cup of warm ‘Calming Vanilla Twilight’ tea with honey. She did her best to be stealthy in the process, even though her sister slept pretty soundly through most things. You could never be too cautious. Wynonna was most certainly not a morning person, and risking her snarky wrath was a poor way to start the day. When she was done, Waverly retreated back up the stairs to curl up by the window, warm cup clutched in her hands as she waited for dawn to drift over the horizon. Nicole was out working an overnight and returning to her own home after, so she wasn’t there to chase away the aches or kiss away the lingering memories of Waverly’s nightmare. The images of it drifted back to her.

\--- 

Darkness and ice. A freezing, empty, bone chilling thing so deep and so painful it crosses the boundaries of ‘cold’ and loops back into something like a burn. It is in her skin, trying to seep into her veins, malicious and dark. There is plant life all around her, withering, shriveling, and blackening. Turning to rot and sludge before her eyes. She hears screams and she can tell they’re not all human. Shapes move and lurk in the shadows. She moves to track them and becomes aware of a living presence at her feet.   
  
Looking down, expecting to see a person or creature, she sees instead a rosebud in the snow, just beginning to blossom. The petals are peeking out white against the grey darkness of the landscape, defiant against all surrounding decay. She kneels down to cradle it in her hands, feeling the overwhelming urge to keep it protected from the icy chill. It blooms before her, its petals now a pale yellow that’s tinged at the edges with red. It feels warm in her hands, like gentle sunlight on skin, and she smiles softly as that warmth reaches right to her heart. She breathes in its scent, and it registers sweet, warm and sugary somehow. So familiar.   
  
A hissing sound pulls her attention away. It’s close. She peers amid the foliage and sees movement again. Creatures in the dark, coming nearer now, still shapeless and ill-defined. 

She feels pain in her hands and looks back down at the rose. Long thorns have erupted from the stem, hooked like wicked claws. The red tinge has spread, has taken over, coloring the petals crimson and dark, like blood. It grows cold against her palms and begins to wither.   
  
There’s a low sound just over her shoulder, against her ear. Dread fills the pit of her gut. 

\---

A shiver rippled over Waverly’s flesh and jerked her back into the here and now. She almost dropped her mug of tea and had to scramble with it to keep it from spilling. A glance at the window and the pastel sky beyond it showed that some time had definitely passed as she had been lost in thought. Sunlight was just barely breaking over the horizon now, and Waverly watched it rise as she considered the overwhelmingly real way her dream had felt. How it lingered like lead weights in her chest and gut. 

She winced as the sun hit an angle that sent a flash of light right to her retina. Stupid snow glare. The winter landscape around the homestead and indeed the whole Ghost River Triangle was beautiful, poetic even, as some of the old letters Waverly had come across in her years of historical research proved. Funny how the lovely prose always failed to mention the downsides of all the rural wintery goodness. The cold, the snow blindness, the tiptoe stepping on door landings, and the way the snow always, always seemed to find a way past all the jackets and scarves and gloves to touch against skin, just a little. 

Waverly took a moment to clock her grumbly thoughts as she sipped her tea again. The dream was gone, the sunrise was lovely, and she and Nicole were back on the same page again. They still had awkward moments here and there but the tension from before had almost completely ebbed away over the past few days. 

Things were good.

\----

Things are getting weird, Nicole thought as she clomped into her home at the end of her shift. Before she even had the door fully closed she removed the clip-on tie at her neck and started working on the shirt beneath it. Normally she didn’t mind hanging out in her uniform for a bit, but this night had been a rough one for her, starting with the fact that her uniform felt weirdly stifling and warm all night. She had been sweating in the patrol car in fact.

On top of that, she kept getting weird calls. That wasn’t altogether out of the ordinary, this was Purgatory after all, but normally it was one, maybe two calls a night that dealt with ‘something got into my bear proof trash bin’ or ‘I live alone and someone is laughing outside my window.’ Tonight it was almost back to back. Strange sightings, dogs going nuts, noise disturbances... even a few reports of suspicious figures lurking about, though when Nicole arrived she found no footprints or traces of any kind. There was even one caller that swore up and down there was a “mothman” hovering over Shorty’s. 

Something was definitely stirring out there. But not the usual things she expected. After a few years with the Earp crew and under Nedley’s tutelage she’d begun to develop a knack for spotting ‘demony types’ among the populace. In fact, once she knew what to look for, she noticed they really weren’t all that subtle. Whatever this was, it was lurking about, waiting maybe. Setting a trap, perhaps? Whatever it was, it had her on edge the whole night. She would have to let Wynonna and co. know, ASAP. But right now she just wanted to cool off and calm down a little. She kicked her boots off, said hi to Calamity Jane as she passed her, and went up the stairs

There had been one call in particular that stuck in her mind that night. A missing child report. Four year old, male, normally fussy but overall well behaved. His parents said he had been asleep in his upstairs bedroom when they went to sleep. Stranger still, they said the front door had been locked when they checked it. Fortunately he was found fairly quickly, curled up and asleep in the family’s storage shed. When Nicole hefted the boy out of his makeshift bed of mulch bags he had been cold to the touch and a bit dirty. He had gripped her shirt at the shoulder in reflex as she carried him in and hadn’t wanted to let go when she tried to set him down in the house. After gently coaxing him into wakefulness to both check on his responsiveness and pry his little hand free, she asked him a few questions and gave him a quick search for injuries before deciding he was healthy enough to skip a ride to the hospital. Once the exam was over, he was taken back up to bed. His mom praised her as she was leaving. “He doesn’t normally like strangers much. You have a good way with kids, Sheriff.” Nicole advised them to maybe have him checked on later if the incident happened again, then went on her way.

Now, as she was getting ready for a post-work shower, the case played over in her head. Nicole stripped off her shirt in the bathroom and looked at the spot of smudged dirt that indicated where the boy had gripped the fabric. Her thumb rubbed over the area lightly. The kid had been so small. So in need of comfort and protection. He’d been all chubby cheeked and bleary eyed while Nicole spoke with him, rubbing the side of a tiny fist against his nose as he answered questions. If she were being honest with herself, which she generally tried to be, she had to admit the sight tugged hard at her heartstrings.

It made her mind wander back to her conversation with Waverly a few days ago. 

_ “I do want a family, Waves. One day.” _

She bit the side of her lip. It was true, she definitely wanted to see a future with Waverly and herself raising a kid (or two? One thing at a time, Haught). Her heart glowed at the idea. Of Waverly singing lullabies and the three of them out on a picnic somewhere. Of teaching the kid to read and walk and ride a bike. Maybe their kid would grow to like the outdoors like she did, or maybe they would be as brilliant as Waverly. The problem was … when? 

Nicole loved her job. With hard work and any decent shred of luck she hoped to be working law enforcement for the rest of her life. Or at least until she hit Nedley’s age and sought retirement. 

But that was just the thing, wasn’t it? Quiet as police work was in a small town, it was still risky. That was one of the reasons she hesitated to start a family with Waverly, true, but it was also a reason to not wait around. Whether they adopted or not, she fully intended to be there for every aspect of their child’s life. If she was going to do this, raise a family and be sheriff, she knew she would have better odds if she were on top of her game.

In fact, she reflected as she undid her belt and slid off her slacks, if they were going to do this, now wouldn’t be a bad time. They were getting along fine, the new money coming in from the raise she had received wasn’t earmarked for anything just yet.She had new recruits, but they were fitting in, and would be working like a well-oiled machine in a few months if everything went well. As for the supernatural, except for this new skulking visitor and Waverly’s lingering effects from the garden, things were slow. If they were going to do this, now could be their best chance.

The problem, she thought, was _ how _ . They could adopt, of course. Go through the applications and home studies and legalese and all the rest. There was in vitro as well. But more importantly, there was the very _ unique _ opportunity Waverly’s powers had presented them with. For as long as Waverly was … transformed, they could _ conceive _ . _ Together _.

Nicole’s stomach flipped at the thought of not only the act itself, though that was another factor of its own, but also at the very idea of being pregnant. Having a baby was wildly beyond anything Nicole had pictured as a future possibility. Health class had done quite a number on her, seeing the changes a body went through while a baby developed. It made her squeamish. Muscles and organs displacing and hip bones moving and flesh sometimes tearing during the birthing process. She considered herself pretty tough, but frankly the idea of all that made her feel a little green about the gills. She had full respect for women that did it, of course, but it wasn’t exactly something on her bucket list. That’s why she had run in the first place. But given time to think on it ...

Her hand trailed over her own abs as she looked at her stomach. Could she do it? Let her body go through all that? Get all heavy and tired and off balance? Do the morning sickness thing? Be laid up towards the end with nothing to do but wait? Let her body be host to something else? 

_ Not something else, _ she reminded herself. _ Our baby. It would be our baby. Waverly and I have already talked about things like in vitro. If she’s willing to do it, why shouldn’t I? _

She gulped and glanced up, catching sight of herself in the mirror, standing there in just her underwear. For a moment, she pictured herself much differently. Her stomach rounded out, belly button protruding. With Waverly there, by her side, arms lovingly wrapped around her and hands resting on new curves. And growing within … 

She took a deep breath. Something shifted and slid into place for her then. Heat rose to her cheeks in a blush and a kind of gentle softness filled her heart. She looked back at her own expression, seeing her eyes welling up just a touch.

_ For Waverly, I could, _ she realized. _ For her, with her, I could do anything. _

She stripped out of the rest of her clothes and stepped into the shower. She just had to think of the right time, the right way, to bring the idea back up again. 

_ And after, _ she thought with a curious flutter in her gut, _ we can discuss the … logistics of everything _.

\----

Waverly was back in the Black Badge office, once again sequestered behind a makeshift partition that Wynonna was fiddling with. They’d upgraded it this time with some sheets from the homestead and rope from a laundry line, but it still reminded Waverly of some kind of perverse blanket fort. She reached around to her back and tried to scratch at the itchy spot just out of reach of her fingers as she wiggled her shoulders helplessly. Her ‘wings’ had been bothering her a lot lately. The normally persistent but vague ache had turned into the itch of very dry skin. The night before last, she had asked Nicole to take a look at the afflicted areas, who had blearily but dutifully turned on the light to take a peek and told her that the area looked red and irritated, but probably just by all the scratching. She’d mumbled, caring but quite tired, to leave the area alone and rolled back over into slumber. 

Waverly sat backwards on a chair and began to undo the buttons of her shirt. “You know what the team needs?” she said as she slipped the shirt back. “A doctor. One that’s clued in on all the freaky stuff.” 

Wynonna shrugged and gestured towards their resident scientist with her head. “We have Jeremy.”

Jeremy looked up from his tablet at the sound of his name and seemed to pause to recall the conversation before replying “Uh, so I may be the closest thing you’ve got, but she’s right you know.” He grinned. “I'm a scientist, Jim, not a doctor.” He paused, but when no one seemed to react to his reference he forged ahead awkwardly. “Different things, you know. Well, I mean, I could be a doctor. I just haven’t officially gone for my doctorate. Moved around too much with BBD. Oh, but if I did it wouldn’t be that kind of doctor. Although medical science IS a science so doctors are in fact-”

“Jeremy!” Wynonna snapped, interrupting the ramble. 

He quailed a little, but recovered smoothly, setting the tablet aside as he spoke. “Ah, right, sorry. Look, I know your standard healthy anatomy, but the point is I don’t have that much medical training. Just what I learned in books.”

Wynonna shifted her hand and her weight to one hip, looking at the scientist in a way that suggested she already knew the answer to what she was about to say. “Well, happen to remember any Black Badge physician friends we can trust?”

“No?” 

“Then you’re Nerd MD. Trust me on this, I’m not any happier about it than you are.” She walked out from behind the curtain toward one of the work desks, where a half open box of doughnuts waited for her perusal.

“Um hello?” Waverly piped up. “Actually the one being poked and prodded here, topless in a cop shop?”

Wynonna rolled her eyes as she walked her fingertips over the sugary offerings before finally selecting one. “Yeah, but we aren’t talking about your history with Nicole. Ey-oh!” She chuckled and gave a little snort at her own joke.

Waverly just rolled her eyes in response and looked to Jeremy, who stepped forward to begin his tentative examination. As he did, Waverly rested her head on her arms across the back of her chair. After a few moments, she tilted her head in thought. “What about Greta?” 

“Greta?” Wynonna looked at her sister dubiously, “Greta, tricked-you-into-a-dirty-deal-to-save-your-lover-and-wished-me-away Greta?” 

“Oh!” Jeremy chimed in, “That’s not a bad idea, she might know how to magic away Waverly’s-”   
  
“No!” Both sisters chimed in at once. Jeremy jumped and went back to his work.   
  
“No,” Wynonna repeated for Waverly’s sake, pointing at her sternly with a powdered doughnut.

“We wouldn’t be making any deals with her.” Waverly insisted with a huff. “Just having her take care of supernatural health stuff.” 

Wynonna crossed her arms “Uh-huh. And you think she’s gonna do that out of the kindness of her Wynonna-hating heart?”  
  
“She only hated you because her sister died helping us,” Waverly pointed out, looking over her shoulder at her own sister, “I can’t really fault her for feeling that way, can you?” 

Her plea for compassion went completely unnoticed or ignored. “Uh, yeah, I can, she _ erased _ me. Also, she’s gone, so,” Wynonna shrugged, “what are you gonna do. Also, also, the goal is to get you back to normal. We won’t need a supernatural doctor after that. All we see anymore is little stuff.” 

“Wynonna-”   
  
“I mean it, Waverly. Besides, we’ve been doing fine with Jeremy and regular doctors. Once we get,” she waved her arm in Waverly’s direction, “this taken care of, we can just go back to telling doctors stories about coyote attacks and bar fights and stuff.”   
  
“And kidnapping specialists as necessary,” Jeremy added in a kind of earnestly cheerful sarcasm that was unique to him and usually reserved for mild disagreements with Wynonna. He leaned back from his examination and picked at his latex gloves to loosen them and avoid Wynonna’s glare. There was a time, not so long ago in fact, when Jeremy would have quailed under that look. It had taken a lot for him to get to a place where he felt confident enough in the face of Wynonna’s brashness to counter her opinions. Waverly was generally proud of how far her friend had come, but she winced now. Mentioning the way Dolls and Doc had kidnapped an ob/gyn to check on Wynonna probably wasn’t exactly the way she would have chosen to go about things. 

“That was different,” Wynonna insisted, suddenly humorless, her tone letting Jeremy know this wasn’t safe ground to walk on.   
  
_ Uh oh, _ Waverly thought as she shrugged her shirt back on, _ time to defuse _ . She cleared her throat a little and shrugged, “Yeah well, at least that’s one thing we don’t have to worry about in this case, right?”   
  
Nicole’s pregnancy scare was behind them now, for the most part. It still shook Waverly up a little to think of it, but with it and the tiny fissure that had developed around it resolved it was distant enough to make for a relatively safe segue out of anything tangentially Alice related.   
  
It worked, thankfully. Wynonna scoffed, letting the subject drop, and took a bite of her doughnut. She chewed and shoved the mouthful over to one cheek with her tongue as she spoke around it. “Yeah, can you imagine Haught-stuff pregnant? Especially with the wedding and everything, she likes those uniforms _ snug _.” Wynonna made a bursting motion with her free hand. 

Waverly bit back a smirk, then looked at Jeremy. “So, see anything?” 

Jeremy shrugged apologetically, hands out to his sides, “Nope, it’s all clear. I mean it feels like your muscles are a little tight there, and it’s irritated for sure, but I think that’s all just from you scratching. It’s probably just psychosomatic.” He paused a moment, then continued, “You know, because,” and he flapped his hands like wings.   
  
Waverly sighed and ran a hand through her hair. 

“What about being psycho?” Wynonna asked. 

Before she could get an answer, there was a knock at the door. The three of them scrambled to look official while the figure behind the frosted glass waited to be allowed entry.   
  
“Agent Earp?” 

Wynonna beamed cockily at the title. Nicole had insisted they use it despite the lack of Black Badge in order to keep any questions about their use of the offices at bay. Which organization she was an agent of was kept deliberately vague, mostly because there was a running argument on whether they should keep using BBD as a cover or make up their own organization. Wynonna’s suggestion of “Badass Earp Mystery Squad” in particular was a hotly debated name. 

“Yea- I mean, enter!” Wynonna planted her feet and tried to look stern, authoritative, and in charge, the way Dolls always had. The white doughnut powder on her chin only detracted from her attempt a little. That she was still holding said doughnut behind her back did more. 

The officer slipped in, clutching a folder which they held out to Wynonna. “Haught left a note that this was to be handed off directly to you.” 

“Huh,” the heir said as she took it, trying to sound unimpressed, “what took you so long then, rookie?” 

The officer gave her a puzzled look, “You said not to bother you until the coffee pot ran dry, on threat of ‘painful treasony death.’”   
  
Wynonna paused for a second, then said, “Right.” She narrowed her eyes. “Good memory.” Then she turned away and flipped open the folder with the pinkie of the hand grasping her doughnut and glanced at the report as she took a bite. The cop seemed to take that as a dismissal and left, making sure to close the door behind them. 

“Hey! We got one!” Jeremy grinned, his tone suggesting a pop-culture reference. When no one responded he added, “Ghostbusters?” 

Waverly smiled at him, then looked to her sister. “What is it?” 

Wynonna set the folder down and picked up a photograph from it. She turned it towards them to reveal the image of a field near the tree line of the Pine Barrens. Among the grasses a pattern of flattened and browned plant life curled into the unmistakable shape of a spoked wheel.

“Crop circles?”

\----  
  
As soon as they pulled up to the location in Wynonna’s ever resilient blue and white pickup, Waverly knew something was wrong. She grit her teeth against the tension settling into her ribs and over her back and forced herself to take a few slow breaths to ease constricting muscles. The air felt charged with energy that swirled and drifted like recently disturbed silt coming to rest on the bottom of a river bed. And it felt sickly familiar. 

It didn’t make her feel any better to see a certain familiar red headed figure crouching in the fields either. Nicole was dressed in her civvies, which today consisted of boots, jeans, and a t-shirt, with a light windbreaker tied around her waist. 

“So what are we thinking, Haught?” Wynonna called as she climbed out of the truck. “Aliens? Bored kids? Strangely creative weevils?” 

Waverly hopped down as well, gathering her cardigan a little more tightly around her as she strode forward through the knee high grass. “I thought you were sleeping in?” 

“I was.” Nicole answered. She stood up and turned to face both sisters, shaking a lock of hair back out of her eyes. “I just couldn’t get it out of my head. Where’s Jeremy?” 

“He wanted to stay back and look into something,” Wynonna replied with a shrug. She stepped up to the circle of dead grass and paced around it, carefully stepping over the ‘spokes’ of the circle as she did. Waverly smiled at that. A slightly younger Wynonna wouldn’t have cared, but if there was anything they had all learned about potentially supernatural stuff it was ‘do not freaking touch’. Not without some shred of information anyway. 

“Hey,” Nicole’s hand brushed lightly across Waverly’s shoulder, “you okay? You look a little tense.” 

Waverly shrugged, “Yeah, it’s just, y’know.” She gestured to her back. 

Nicole’s expression softened. “The ‘wings’?” 

Waverly nodded and crossed her arms, “I just hate that it still feels like they’re still there without, you know, being there. It’s been weeks now. Between that and,” she nodded down toward her pants, “the other thing I-” her voice faltered unexpectedly and she looked down, replanted her feet, and tried again, “I’m just kinda having a hard time feeling like me.” She leaned in as Nicole rubbed her shoulder and dotted a kiss to the top of her head.

“We’ll sort it out, I promise,” Nicole said. 

Waverly smiled again and looked back over the fields as a quiet pause settled between them. At length, they both spoke at the same time. 

“Nicole, about this crop circle-”

“So I’ve been thinking-”

“Hey!” Wynonna called from the other end of the pattern. She held something up in her hand as she hurried over. “I either found a clue or the answer to that ‘horse sized goose’ question.” 

She held the object forward and Waverly felt her stomach sink. 

Because in Wynonna’s hand was a very large, pristinely white wing feather. 

“What do you think?” Wynonna asked cautiously, skating around a suspicion lurking in at the edge of everyone’s minds.   
  
“I think,” said a gravelly voice from the tree line. Doc stepped clear of the shadows of the trees, the brim of his hat tilted back just enough to show a tense expression on his face. His eyes fixated on the object in Wynonna’s hand. “ _ That _ is no earthly feather.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhododendron  
Rhododendrons actually comprise a whole genus of plants that include azaleas, though those are differentiated from "true rhododendrons" by having fewer anthers (part of the stamen where pollen is produced). They grow as shrubs and small trees with brightly colored blossoms and are very widespread and popular garden plants. Honey made from this flower's pollen can sometimes make people ill! It often signals caution in flower language. 
> 
> (Disclaimer: Please don't seek out any of the plants listed in this fic as a form of modern medicine for ANY situation.)


End file.
